RACINE — Members of Racine’s Greek community are processing the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks — and the timing hits especially hard, just days before Greek Fest at Kimissis Greek Orthodox Church.

Tents are going up in the parking lot, rides are being assembled, and the kitchen is already busy with preparations for the annual celebration of Greek culture in Racine. But amid the excitement, the news of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s trade from the Milwaukee Bucks is on the minds of some church members.

Joyce Muffoletto, secretary at Kimissis tid Theotokou Greek Orthodox Church in Racine, said the news took some of the joy out of her Tuesday.

Watch: Racine’s Greek community discusses what Giannis meant to them:

Racine’s Greek community reflects on Giannis’ celebration of Greek culture

“Yeah, that puts a damper on everything,” Muffoletto said.

Giannis, who was born and raised in Athens, Greece, earned the nickname “the Greek Freak” during his time with the Bucks. For Muffoletto, his Greek heritage made her a fan.

“Oh, of course,” she said with a laugh.

“I’m a pretty reserved, quiet person, but my husband had to go to a different level in the house because I’d be screaming at the TV when he was playing, you know, I’d be like, ‘Giannis! Giannis!’” Muffoletto said.

While Muffoletto made it to multiple Greek night games with the Bucks, she said what she will miss most goes beyond Giannis’s performance on the court.

“It’ll be hard to replace him. And more than him the player, kind of, him the person,” said Muffoletto, referring to the impact Giannis had on the Milwaukee community.

Church member Mary Luccas said she is not a big basketball fan, but she holds Giannis in high regard for the values he represents.

“We will be sad to lose that, but he set a really good foundation going forward,” Luccas said. “And he will be doing the same thing wherever he goes, because it’s just the quality of person that he is.”

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Luccas said Giannis and his family have embodied Greek values throughout his time in Wisconsin.

“Family centered. Philoxenia. The friendship, the love. The doors are open. They welcome everybody,” Luccas said.

“He embraces the Greek culture, like we embrace the Greek culture. And he celebrates Greece and his Greek culture,” Luccas said. “So wherever he is, it will be a celebration of his Greek heritage.”

And while the loyalty to the Bucks remains, Muffoletto acknowledged the bittersweet reality.

“I’ll be loyal, but it’s a bit of a loss,” Muffoletto said.

Racine’s Greek Fest runs Friday through Sunday at 1335 S. Green Bay Road.

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MILWAUKEE — Fans in Milwaukee are waking up to the news that Giannis Antetokounmpo has been traded, ending a 13-year run with the Bucks that included a championship in 2021.

The news of the trade broke late last night, and fans have mixed emotions about the move.

Before the trade happened, TMJ4 spoke with fans in Milwaukee about what they wanted to see happen.

Some fans were focused on what the Bucks could get in return.

“If he gets traded, we get like some valuable pieces for him at least. I don’t want Bam Adebayo. I want Tyler Herro because he’s from Milwaukee so you know he’s a hooper they can keep bound,” Khorey said.

Others acknowledged Antetokounmpo’s impact even without following the sport closely.

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“I’m not a basketball fan myself but I know who Giannis is. And that says someone whose background is theater. We got a championship from him,” Halana said.

A mural created in honor of Antetokounmpo’s achievements on and off the court now stands as a reminder of his legacy in the city.

For those who predicted Antetokounmpo could be traded — they were correct.

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“I don’t like to see him get traded. I don’t like that. But the franchise is not big enough. Giannis needs to move in another direction,” Scheila said.

Not everyone was ready to accept the change.

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“Not saying that there’s anything wrong with anybody else, but Giannis is like the Bucks. So I would prefer if he didn’t because it’s just going to be weird. And then it’s like, who can follow in those big old footsteps,” Nariah said.

We’ll continue to bring you updates on the trade on-air and online.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

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