NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo and comedian Hasan Minhaj are the unlikely duo going head-to-head in a game of “HORSE.”
WhatsApp presents a digital comedy short featuring the two, bonding over the power behind their given names and dual+-cultured identities. In the short, Minhaj, who is a self-proclaimed basketball fanatic and recently played in the 2023 Celebrity All-Star Game, meets up with Antetokounmpo to play a game of “HORSE.” The game later turns into a game of “ADETOKUNBO,” an homage to the Bucks powerhouse’s lesser-known Yoruba name. Both players bond over their immigrant backgrounds, proving each other with banter and dialogue that surrounds discussing their complicated yet parallel experiences with their given names.
Antetokounmpo and Minhaj are both WhatsApp ambassadors who are spreading the company’s narrative, “There’s No One Like Us.” With this campaign, the platform calls for its two billion users around the world to embrace the many cultures that make them unique. Antetokounmpo said in a statement, “Most people don’t know that Giannis is not my only first name. Ugo is my Nigerian name, and its actually the only name my closest friends and family use on our private WhatsApp chats. I know that many, like Hasan and I, have similar relationships with their names, and we’re proud to bring to light this real story about culture that billions of people around the world can relate to.”
Watch the video above.
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