Flour Mills of Nigeria sponsored talented Greek-Nigerian NBA player, Thanasis Antetokounmpo as he made his first visit to Lagos, Nigeria, where he had the opportunity to inspire and mentor young pupils at a Basketball Clinic held at GreenSprings School in Lekki, Lagos.

The 2021 NBA champion, with the Milwaukee Bucks, engaged in a productive brainstorming session with the enthusiastic young players; sharing insights about his own background and development as a basketball player.

The session proved to be an excellent platform for the pupils to ask Antetokounmpo thought-provoking questions about his journey.

Eager to lead by example, Antetokounmpo then took to the court, joining the pupils in shooting drills. The spirited players showcased their skills, and the standout performers from the session were granted the unique opportunity to face off against Antetokounmpo one-on-one; both in offense and defense.

Antetokounmpo’s roots reflect a beautiful blend of cultures. Born in Greece to a Yoruba father and an Igbo mother, he shares a special connection with Nigeria.

In a Chat with Flour Mills of Nigeria’s Group Director Mr Sadiq Usman, he revealed that FMN has always wanted to tell the beautiful story of the Antetokounmpo family and the company being owned by Greek Americans, it was important that a Greek Nigerian like Thanasis was given all the supports needed in his quest to return to his root and to help inspire the young talents all around the country.

(L-R) Professional basketball players Giannis Antetokounmpo, Alex Antetokounmpo, Thanasis Antetokounmpo pose for a photo before ringing the closing bell at New York Stock Exchange. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)

“Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC started about 63 years ago and was started by someone of greek heritage and still the majority owners of Flour Mills Nigerians are Greek Americans and fortunately we happen to have a good relationship with the Antetokounmpo Family, who are Greek Nigerians, and we felt that we had to be a part of the Antetokounmpo’s first visit to Nigeria, we had to see how we could tell the Nigerian story just as we have been doing for the past 63 years.

“This is just one of the stories, Thanasis gave a remarkable story, of his on upbringing, of resilience of grit and determination and I hope the kids who listened are inspired, and that’s what we want to do in our products. That’s what we want to do in our operations, that’s what we want to do by serving Nigeria through our 19,000 employees all across the country.

“We want to serve people, we want to explore the Nigerian spirits and inspire people, and that want we do everyday by feeding the Nation.”