The greatest struggle at the NBA All-Star Game did not occur on the court. Instead, it took place in the broadcast booth, with veteran announcer Marv Albert consistently trying, and failing, to pronounce Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name.
marv albert has no idea how to say giannis antetokounmpo's name pic.twitter.com/XkMJO2eaPO
— Jordan Heck (@JordanHeckFF) February 20, 2017
You have to admire Albert’s persistence. A lesser announcer would have struggled a few times, then settled on “Giannis” or “The Greak Freak.” But Albert’s quest was not going to be denied.
At some point, though, Albert would be well advised to either arrive at a compromise or figure it out.
Antetokounmpo is one of the game’s brightest stars. Also, while the Bucks are out of a playoff spot, Milwaukee has a good, young core that could well help them be a contender within a few years. So, Albert may find himself having to call a handful of Antetokounmpo’s games in the near future.