While Giannis Antetokounmpo may not be as recognizable as LeBron James or Steph Curry, his 6-foot-11 frame should be a pretty strong giveaway when folks encounter him in public.
But for one hotel worker in Phoenix, she had no clue who she was dealing with, which led to a situation that has since gone viral online. Here’s the story:
(via The Athletic’s Sam Amick)
Yet here he was on the eve of his first Finals, his stunning return against the Phoenix Suns quietly in the works, facing an obstacle of a very different kind as midnight neared: He had lost his room key. But the friendly front desk lady who helped him, and who had to stare straight up through the plexiglass to ask this masked man for his name, clearly didn’t know this 6-foot-11 guest from the next one. So when Giannis Antetokounmpo gave his alias — a common practice among famous people who want to protect their personal space — she was confused as to why he couldn’t provide some form of ID as proof.
It was an innocent misunderstanding, one that was quickly corrected by a hotel co-worker who saw the situation unfolding from nearby and intervened to explain the Greek Freak in the room that was being missed.
“This is Giannis,” he said with a sense of astonishment before assisting with the process.
Antetokounmpo, the two-time MVP whose days of going unnoticed by the masses have long since left him, patiently smiled through it all before eventually retreating to his room.
It’s not every day that Giannis Antetokounmpo comes waltzing into your hotel. Being in Phoenix, during the NBA Finals, one would think that hotels and their staff would be on alert and on the lookout for players.
In this case, someone not only wasn’t expecting him but also didn’t recognize the guy when he went to check-in.
All-in-all, it’s a pretty funny story and a reminder that even the best professional athletes are unrecognizable to some.
