LOS ANGELES, May 8 ― NBA Most Valuable Player Giannis Antetokounmpo was playing defence yesterday after a hacker accessed his electronic accounts and posted a stream of obscene tweets.

"Giannis Antetokounmpo's social media accounts were hacked this afternoon and have been taken down,” the Milwaukee Bucks said in a statement posted on their own club Twitter feed. "An investigation is underway.”

But the tweets that had appeared had already caused consternation ― for Bucks fans the worst might have been one of the most innocuous: "I'm going to the Warriors.”

Most of the tweets were obscene or racist digs at teammates or rivals from opposing clubs.

One derided late NBA great Kobe Bryant ― an idol of the "Greek Freak” and certainly not someone likely to be targeted by Antetokounmpo ― who had led the Bucks to the NBA's best record when the season was indefinitely shut down in March because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Even before the hack was confirmed, Antetokounmpo's brother Kostas, who is on a two-way contract with the Los Angeles Lakers and their G-League team, jumped in to help his more famous sibling, replying to every objectionable tweet "someone hacked this account” and Giannis "didn't post this.” 

On his own Twitter account, Kostas Antetokounmpo said the damage wasn't limited to Giannis's social media accounts.

"Giannis' twitter, phone, email and bank accounts were hacked!” Kostas tweeted. "He genuinely apologises for everything that was tweeted and he will be back as soon as possible! The things that were said by this hacker were extremely inappropriate and disgusting!”

Giannis' longtime girlfriend Mariah Danae Riddlesprigger, who had the couple's first child in February, posted the same message. ― AFP