Former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has hailed Greek-Nigerian basketball player Giannis Antetokoumpo as a fellow ‘Nigerian Nightmare’, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist also explained the meaning of the nickname.
The 36-year-old detailed the origins of the Nigerian Nightmare nickname on the Thanalysis podcast hosted by the professional basketball player for the Milwaukee Bucks, Antetokounmpo.
Usman was long regarded as the UFC welterweight division’s toughest competitor.
The majority of his followers, who are not familiar with Nigerian culture, are probably unaware that being called ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ is a badge of honour.
That nickname has been applied to numerous outstanding Nigerian athletes over the course of history.
Nigerians are perhaps one of the nations that have contributed more brilliance in sports and the world at large, and Usman describes the meaning of Nigerian Nightmare.
Usman stated that the Nigerian Nightmare has always been attached to the most exemplary Nigerian sports stars since he was a kid.
“It’s a nickname that I’ve heard ever since I was a kid. And it’s a nickname that exemplifies excellence,” he said.
“So, whichever athlete is excelling at the highest and of Nigerian descent, that’s a nickname you take on. I’m not the first ‘Nigerian Nightmare’. Christian Okoye, who is an American football player and played for the Kansas City Chiefs is not the first ‘Nigerian Nightmare’.
“WBC Heavyweight Champion of the world Samuel Peter was a ‘Nigerian Nightmare’. So that name is just a name that exemplifies excellence in sports and with Nigerian descent,” Usman said.
Usman then went on to explain that Antetokounmpo is the next Nigerian Nightmare saying, “That’s a nickname you take with price and you want to take on.
“So I’m just being honest. If Giannis and you guys hadn’t had the journey you had, Giannis would be the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ right now.
I guarantee you. And you are hearing it right now. Giannis is the ‘Nigerian Nightmare’ in basketball right now,” Usman said.
Born in Greece, Antetokounmpo is known as the ‘Greek Freak’ and opted to represent the Greek basketball national team.
