It is usually difficult for a 2.11m person, even an athlete, to run from one end of a basketball court to the other in less than 5 seconds. Not to mention the simultaneous dribbling, avoiding opponents, like a skier avoiding obstacles and in perfect control of the ball, which in his huge palm looks like a trophant … an orange. That’s what he did John Antetokounmpo in the phase of the national basketball game against Spain last Tuesday at OAKA. The Greek’s advance led to a foul right under the Iberian basket, but the little girl next to me – she was no more than five or six years old – was left with her eyes wide open: “Daddy, how can he run so fast?”.

In the eyes of the baby, like the rest of the children who flooded the closed one the other day, Giannis looks like a Marvel hero. Tall, wiry, with toned muscles and dressed in his (national) uniform, he is not so different from Thor or Captain America, who are seen in a frenzy on all kinds of screens. Especially when he starts flying, dribbling and basketball… bowling at the expense of opponents, you start to believe more and more that this guy is definitely not from Earth.

The difference, however, between the Greek freak and the rest of the superheroes lies precisely in this: that is, that he is a man of flesh and bones, and children and adults can admire him up close, as he sheds tons of sweat to please them. After all, basketball, like all sports, is basically: joy and fun; Giannis, as he learned it well on the other side of the Atlantic, made sure to put on a great show for everyone who filled the stadium in August to see him.

The truth is, we sports fans have gotten a little bit into the rhythms of the NBA these days. Where basketball is a spectacle not unlike a movie. Firstly, these are large protagonist stars. One such was OAKA’s Antetokounmpo, from the moment he stepped onto the floor to warm up until he retired amid public apotheosis after a satisfying performance. In addition to the ball, he also knows how to skillfully play with the camera. In the fourth period, after a mid-air kick that caused an explosion in the stands, he twisted his arms and constricted his nose and mouth in a “fighting” face as he turned to the bench, where his teammates were almost as stunned as the spectators. . Around him, of course, teammates – the role of the second plan. We don’t say it pejoratively: in the NBA (unofficial) the term is “auxiliary roster” like in the movies. Their job is to help the star and at the same time – which is very important in the case of our own team – to use the opportunities that his presence creates. In addition, they have the opportunity to shine, as was the case in some cases with the Spaniard when he was on the bench, or if the opponent managed to block him effectively. Different duties entail, of course, other fees. Everything that the rest of the players who were on the floor on Tuesday, Greeks and Spaniards combined, earned is equal to half the salary of Giannis.

Finally, there is direction. The presentation of the national team on Tuesday was held under the sounds of “Sirius” by the Alan Parsons Project in the style of the Chicago Bulls of the 1990s. enthusiastically stared at the giant screens on the ceiling, and at halftime a three-point mini-competition was organized with the participation of the audience. Let’s not forget that basketball is inherently a very cinematic sport. The tight spaces, the huge bodies, the impressive phases created by the sportsmanship and imagination of the players, combined of course with the tension of match development, are top-notch lens material.

PS: These lines were written a few hours before the second meeting between Greece and Spain, this time in Madrid, where the organizers have already announced a full house. Of course, the Spaniards want to support their team, but something tells us that on TV we will also see a lot of Bucks T-shirts with the number 34 on the back.