Why “Antetokounmpo” is spelled differently on Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas’ shirts

The Antetokounmpo family is proud to see Giannis, Thanasis and Kostas play together for the men’s national team, which they will do today (11/8) in the friendly against Spain (20:30, ERT3 and LIVE from Sportish). His family Tyler Dorsey the same. Even if with these players the bureaucracy has ensured that some … paradoxes have been created.

Anyone who has watched the four international matches played by the men’s national teams knows that two things make an impression:

1. The name ‘Antetokounmpo’ is spelled differently on Kostas’ shirt than on those of Giannis and Thanasis. Notably, Kostas’ jersey says “Adetokunbo”, while Giannis and Thanasis’ (but also Alex’s) jersey says “Antetokounmpo”. Here is the proof:

2. Dorsey is listed as “Ntorsey” even though it says “Dorsey”.

what is really true

At first there were people who thought it was a typo. But in reality this is not the case. According to FIBA ​​regulations, the back of a national team player’s jersey must have his last name written in Latin, as it appears on his passport. And that is exactly what is happening in the case of the four internationals, as their Greek passports state their surnames that way.

In the case of the Antetokounmpo brothers, the following applies:

– Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo are listed as “Antetokounmpo” because that’s how their last name was translated when they pulled out their Greek passports to travel to the United States as part of the 2013 NBA draft in 2013, where Giannis was also drafted No.15 by the dollars. The translation was…wrong and in fact this particular event appears as a scene in the Disney film “RISE” relating to the life of the Antetokounmpo family.

– Kostas Antetokounmpo later got a Greek passport and his surname is written as “Adetokunbo”, which is also correct. As mentioned in the film, it is a surname of the Yoruba tribe and means “The king of the seas is back.” The specific topic also became an issue last summer when Kostas wore the jersey of the men’s national team for the first time at the Acropolis tournament in the friendly match against Mexico and Sportish also explained at the time that his last name was written in his passport. The paradox, of course, is that while Alexander Antetokounmpo received his own passport after Giannis and Thanasis, it is spelled “Antetokounmpo” and not “Adetokumbo” like Kostas.

– In the case of Tyler Dorsey, the same applies as in the case of Giannis and Thanasis Antetokounmpo: when he obtained Greek citizenship and got his hands on a Greek passport, his last name was translated as “Ntorsey” instead of “Dorsey”. Somehow he’s now bound to see his surname written like this when wearing the men’s national jersey.