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Bucks forward responds to racist comment against brother, as sports commentator is probed

Bucks forward responds to racist comment against brother, as sports commentator is probed

A controversial television sports commentator faces charges of committing a racist crime after making derogatory remarks against Panathinaikos basketball player Thanasis Antetokounmpo last week.

Commentator Takis Tsoukalas, who is known to be a supporter of Panathinaikos archival Olympiakos, referred to the player as a “monkey” during a rant after the Piraeus side was trounced by the Athens squad last week, prompting a storm on social media.

Among those who slammed the television personality for his comment was Thanasis's brother, Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, who wrote on Twitter on Thursday that if “this can happen to Thanasis who represents the Greek national team and Panathinaikos with pride and with a smile, I cannot imagine what other people of color face in Greece.”

“I am extremely sad and disappointed,” the 26-year-old NBA forward wrote. “But we will not allow negative comments to change this family and our love for the country where we grew up. My brothers and I are proud to be Greek-Nigerian and if anyone doesn't like it, that's their problem.”

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