Is WhatsApp making movies?
Social App WhatsApp has commissioned its very first film project with Nigerian NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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The Meta-owned company has announced their new short film project featuring the NBA star scheduled for release later this month.
Maybe it’s because Antetokounmpo was named 2021 NBA all star-MVP for leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the NBA finals.
Or maybe it’s a branding partnership.
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Maybe the NBA superstar is talented and WhatsApp only saw it fitting to tell his story.
Here’s the educated answer, the NBA star signed a long-term deal with WhatsApp earlier this year, to promote the brand around the world.
This would be the first endorsement deal for WhatsApp executives.
The snippet of the film shared by WhatsApp, titled Naija Odyssey, tells Antetokounmpo’s story from roots, through challenges, cross cultural worlds and his journey for a sense of belonging.
The footage is said to have been narrated by Antetokounmpo and his mother.
The NBA star is a Greek-Nigerian for the Milwaukee Bucks. Giannis Sina Ougku Antetokounmpo was born in Athens in 1994.
He has earned the name Greek Freak on the basketball courts, due his impressive speed and agility on the basketball court.
He’s the third oldest of five other siblings.
Before being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2012, he appeared in 26 games for Filathlitikos AO of the Greek Second division and averaged 9.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 assists.
He’s been donating food to the Milwaukee Community Center and hosting charity tournaments with his brothers in Greece.
“The Greek Freak. That’s not me, that’s not all of me.”
Naija Odyssey
x The cross-culture story of Giannis by WhatsApp.
Stream Sept 21 | @PrimeVideo pic.twitter.com/NtSZ6ZarLQ— WhatsApp (@WhatsApp) September 14, 2022
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Featured image: WhatsApp/Screenshot
