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Giannis mural in Milwaukee; Bucks fans gather
Milwaukee Bucks fans found their way to the massive Giannis mural in downtown to remember the achievements of #34. FOX6's Bill Miston also had an opportunity to speak with the artist who created the mural.
MILWAUKEE - Giannis Antetokounmpo's legacy towers over Milwaukee in more ways than one.
Giannis mural
Local perspective:
A three-story tall mural painted by artist Mauricio Ramirez back in 2022, after the Bucks championship, was a gathering place for Bucks fans Tuesday.
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Countless people stopped to take photos, throw their hands up in exasperation, and commiserate about Antetokounmpo heading to Miami. Some remained in disbelief the trade actually happened, while others seemed resigned that he would eventually go, but it was still a hard pill to swallow.
Mauricio Ramirez
What they're saying:
FOX6 News spoke with Ramirez, the artist behind the mural, who said he hopes it stands as an honor of Antetokounmpo's legacy in Milwaukee, and the legacy that future Bucks players can achieve.
"I just hope it becomes a reminder and becomes a place of, I guess, sacredness to people to kind of come in and connect with Giannis, you know, on that type of level," he said. "In reality, I just think it's a great way to honor him and have it be this point of – this point in, you know, site-specific place where people could come in and connect with one another and have this, like, kind of shared experience through, you know, photo taking or having conversations with other people that, you know, had past experiences with him personally."
Downtown district
What they're saying:
In a statement, Milwaukee Downtown Business Improvement District CEO Matt Dorner said:
"While we are sad to see Giannis leave Milwaukee, we are forever grateful for his contributions to the city on and off the court. The Giannis mural will continue to celebrate his efforts in elevating the Milwaukee Bucks globally and leading the team to its first NBA Championship in 50 years. We wish Giannis continued success and hope he and his family will always consider themselves part of the Milwaukee community."
Complete coverage
Dig deeper:
As Milwaukee reacts to the superstar shake-up of the reported trade, FOX6 News is hearing from fans, organizations, community leaders and others about the impact Antetokounmpo – and Portis – have had on the city. Read and watch more below.
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The Source: FOX6 News went to the mural, where people gathered Tuesday, spoke to Ramirez, received a statement from Milwaukee Downtown BID and referenced prior coverage.