Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has insisted that Greek-Nigerian basketball star, Giannis Antetokoumpo, is a “Nigerian Nightmare” in basketball.
The American-Nigerian professional mixed martial artist called the 36-year-old Milwaukee Bucks star, the moniker “Nigerian Nightmare” on the Thanalysis podcast.
After calling Antetokoumpo a “Nigerian Nightmare”, Usman who is long been regarded as the UFC’s toughest opponent in the welterweight category, took out time to explain what it means to be honour with such a moniker.
Usman claimed Nigerians are among the countries who have supplied the most talent to international sports and other industries, adding that ever since he was a little child, the nickname “Nigerian Nightmare” has been used to refer to the most well-known Nigerian athletes.
Kamaru Usman explained, “It’s a nickname that I’ve heard ever since I was a kid. And it’s a nickname that exemplifies excellence.
“So, whichever athlete is excelling at the highest and of Nigerian descent, that’s a nickname you take on. I’m not the first ‘Nigerian Nightmare’. Christian Okoye, who is an American football player who played for the Kansas City Chiefs is not the first ‘Nigerian Nightmare’.
“WBC Heavyweight Champion of the world Samuel Peter was a ‘Nigerian Nightmare’. So that name is just a name that exemplifies excellence in sports and with Nigerian descent.”
Even though Antetokounmpo who was born to Nigerian parents decided to represent the Greek basketball team, and he is now referred to as the “Greek Freak”, Kamaru Usman insisted that the basketball player deserves to be honoured with the “Nigerian Nightmare” tag.
The mixed martial artist said, “That’s a nickname you take with price and you want to take on.
“So I’m just being honest. If Giannis and you guys hadn’t had the journey you had, Giannis would be the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ right now.
“I guarantee you. And you are hearing it right now. Giannis is the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ in basketball right now.”
