Giannis Antetokounmpo’s long-awaited medal with the Greece national team came with a storm of emotion and controversy. After securing bronze at EuroBasket 2025 with a dominant performance against Finland, the Greek superstar took to Instagram Live to celebrate with his teammates. But instead of soaking in the moment, he found himself clashing with Turkish fans spamming the chat with their national flag.
“Take the f***ing Turkish flag out of here! Take it out of here!”
"Hey take the f*cking Turkish flag out of here! Take it out of here!"
Giannis Antetokounmpo gets angry at Turkish fans flooding his Instagram Live with the Turkey flag 😳
(via Giannis_An34/IG)pic.twitter.com/V0PR1EFFvh
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) September 15, 2025
The outburst immediately spread across social media, adding another chapter to what has become a simmering rivalry between Giannis and Turkey, fueled in part by his on-court battle with Alperen Sengun.
The tension stems from Greece’s semi-final loss to Turkey just days earlier. In that game, Giannis turned in his weakest outing of the tournament: 12 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 turnovers, finishing with a game-low -30 in a 94–69 blowout.
Sengun, meanwhile, posted 18 points, 12 boards, and 6 assists, while teammate Ercan Osmani erupted for 33 points to lead Turkey to the final. The contrast between Giannis’ struggles and Sengun’s all-around game became a talking point, with Sengun openly noting that Giannis’ passing was a weakness Turkey exploited.
That remark hit a nerve. Giannis fired back, pointing to his playmaking track record. Since 2018-19, he has averaged over 5 assists per game, including 6.5 per game across the past two seasons.
“Go See My Clips On YouTube” Giannis said in response, insisting he has always been a willing passer. Sengun, for his part, never claimed superiority; his own 4.9 assists per game are respectable, but the implication that Giannis was predictable stung.
To his credit, Giannis rebounded with a monster performance in the bronze medal game against Finland, dropping 43 points, 17 rebounds, and six assists in a 92–89 win.
The effort helped him secure a spot on the tournament’s All-Star Five, finishing second overall in scoring at 27.3 points per game while adding 10.6 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.
Sengun wasn’t far behind, averaging 21.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.6 assists per game, including 28 points in Turkey’s narrow 88–83 loss to Germany in the gold medal game.
The IG Live outburst, however, overshadowed Giannis’ triumph. For many Greek fans, his frustration was understandable. The semi-final loss to Turkey was a bitter pill, and having his celebratory stream hijacked by opposing fans rubbed salt in the wound. But critics argued that Giannis, now a veteran and global face of basketball, should have shown more composure in the moment.
What’s clear is that the Greece-Turkey rivalry has been reignited on the international stage, and Giannis versus Sengun may be its centerpiece moving forward. Both players are dominant big men in the NBA, both carry the pride of their nations, and both have shown they’re not afraid to exchange words off the court.
Giannis finally has his medal, but the clash with Turkish fans showed how personal the stakes have become. With EuroBasket 2025 behind them, the spotlight will soon shift back to the NBA but the echoes of this summer’s fiery battles will linger into their next encounter.
