Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo issued a heartfelt apology and reconciled with Turkish rising star Alperen Şengün after a social media flare-up following Greece’s semifinal loss to Türkiye at the FIBA EuroBasket 2025.
The incident, sparked by Antetokounmpo’s frustrated reaction to Turkish flag emojis during a post-game Instagram live, ignited a global debate on national pride, sportsmanship, and respect in international basketball.
Greece fell 85-76 to Türkiye in a semifinal thriller, with Şengün delivering 18 points and 12 rebounds and teammate Ercan Osmani leading the charge with 28 points.
Antetokounmpo posted 24 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists, but Greece struggled with turnovers and perimeter defense, relegating them to the bronze medal game, where they edged Finland 92-89.
Türkiye advanced to the final but narrowly lost to Germany, earning silver.
During the medal ceremony, tensions simmered as Antetokounmpo and Şengün notably avoided a handshake, fueling speculation across social media.
Frustration boiled over when Antetokounmpo went live from the locker room, shouting, “Take the f***ing Turkish flag out of here!” The clip spread quickly, sparking outrage in Türkiye and prompting discussions on the limits of athlete expression amid fierce national rivalries.
The backlash highlighted the global reach of NBA stars and the cultural weight of symbols in sports.
On Tuesday, Antetokounmpo addressed the incident via Instagram, emphasizing remorse: “In my live, while responding to someone who made a disrespectful comment, I made an inappropriate comment. My intention was never to offend anyone. AND I’M DEEPLY SORRY. I have nothing but love and respect for Türkiye and people all around the world.”
Şengün also clarified that his earlier post was a “miscommunication” and expressed respect for Greece.
The two stars sealed the reconciliation with a joint Instagram post showing them embracing, captioned: “We play for the love of our countries. We play for the love of the game. We play with respect. We always remember sports are made to unite us, not divide us,” accompanied by Greek and Turkish flag emojis.
The post quickly went viral, earning millions of likes and signaling a bridge between the two basketball communities.
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