Photo Credit: Aaron Gash/Associated Press

Giannis Antetokounmpo On Difference Of Being Black In Greece & America, Credits Caron Butler For Learning About Race In U.S

In his postgame availability last night, Giannis Antetokounmpo contrasted the experience of being a black man in America with the experience of being a black man in his native country of Greece.

Giannis noted the increased threat of violence that African Americans face in the United States, something he was very surprised by when first coming to the U.S.:

“Two different cultures. My culture … I was never scared for my life. Walking down the street, I was never scared that something might happen to me. Spending seven years here and my brother growing up here…it’s tough. People are scared to walk in the street, because of the color of your skin. You’re scared for your life.”

Giannis then recalled an important piece of advice he received from his former teammate, Caron Butler.

“Over here is different — you gotta be careful…Caron Butler told me that when you walk down the street, take off your hoodie. I was like ‘Why? Why should I take off my hoodie?’ He was like, ‘Just take off your hoodie.’ That was my rookie year,” 

“I didn’t understand it then, but I understand it now. Hopefully, now, I can keep on educating myself even more.”

Butler knows what he is talking about. In his 2015 book, Tuff Juice: My Journey from the Streets to the NBA, Caron Butler describes and tells all about his troubled life in the ghetto before being drafted to the NBA. Around this time—instead of proving himself on the basketball court—he had to prove himself on the streets as a gang member and drug dealer.