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Giannis Antetokounmpo wants Mamba Mentality challenge from Kobe Bryant

By Nick Denning

Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo at the Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens, Greece, June 24, 2017. The two brothers discussed about the difficulties they encountered during their early beginning, the many obstacles, their achievements, and the opportunities they had. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for MoraBanc Andorra of the Lisa ACB (Photo by Giorgos Georgiou/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo at the Onassis Cultural Centre in Athens, Greece, June 24, 2017. The two brothers discussed about the difficulties they encountered during their early beginning, the many obstacles, their achievements, and the opportunities they had. Giannis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Thanasis Antetokounmpo is a Greek professional basketball player for MoraBanc Andorra of the Lisa ACB (Photo by Giorgos Georgiou/NurPhoto via Getty Images) /
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Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo wants his own Mamba Mentality challenge from Kobe Bryant. Bryant has challenged a number of NBA stars since kicking off promotion for his latest shoe drop.

As Kobe Bryant promotes his latest Nike shoe, he is challenging NBA players to have the ‘Mamba Mentality,’ and Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo wants his own.

Byrant challenged DeMar DeRozan, Isaiah Thomas, and Kendrick Lamar to achieve personal goals. For DeRozan, rekindle an old friendship from his hometown Compton. For Thomas, make the All-NBA first team. And for Lamar, improve the music program from his high school.

Promotion tactics notwithstanding, its a cool idea.  Antetokounmpo agrees, and took to Twitter to ask for his own:

Like DeRozan and Thomas, Antetokounmpo is sponsored by Nike. If the company intends to promote Kobe’s Mamba Mentality with other Nike athletes, it makes sense to extend it to Antetokounmpo.

As one of the league’s rising stars, Bryant could challenge him a number of ways. All-NBA team? Lead the Bucks to the Eastern Conference finals? Challenge for MVP? All possibilities. Scoff if you want, but he was an absolute force last season. Averaging 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, Antetokounmpo won the league’s Most Improved Player Award. At just 22 years old and entering his fifth season in the NBA, he can cement himself as a dominant force in the league this season.

But Bryant’s challenge doesn’t have to be on the court. Antetokounmpo has given back through various charities since his rookie season. Last month, he raised money hosting, “The Greek Freak Invades Manila” event. All proceeds went to a high school in Manila.

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Assuming Bryant will challenge more Nike athletes in the coming days and weeks, it’s a safe bet Antetokounmpo will get the call. Whatever the challenge ends up being, he seems up for it.

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