NBA star Gian Thiago Antetokounmo is among the best and most popular. In addition to leading his club to victory, he was named the most valuable player in the playoffs in 2021 and received two league MVP awards. The 29-year-old’s parents are from Nigeria, but he has never been there. Greece was his upbringing.

Now is the right moment.Check out Ugo: A Homecoming Story, a brand-new short documentary from WhatsApp. It follows the singer on his first trip to Nigeria, when he fully immerses himself in the family, culture, and nation he had only previously known from afar. The documentary is directed by Rick Famuyiwa (Dope, The Mandalorian, The Wood) and follows Antetokounmpo as he travels to towns, markets, and beaches. Viewers will learn about Nigeria’s unique culture from Nigerian designers, artists, and other sources along the route.

One of the most famous pictures is of Antetokounmpo exiting his vehicle in the middle of the busy Balogun Market to haggle with a vendor to buy a replica of his own Milwaukee Bucks jersey.Antetokounmpo has been a brand partner of WhatsApp ever since he starred in the app’s first worldwide commercial in 2022. He had already discussed his long experience with the product with Fast Company. At first, he travelled alone from Greece to the US to play in the NBA, and his only way to stay in touch with people back home was via WhatsApp. “It had a significant impact on my life because it gave me the opportunity to connect with those people,” Antetokounmpo said.The movie makes just a few passing allusions to its message product in its branding. On multiple instances, Antetokounmpo has been seen using WhatsApp to share pictures and videos with his family. As new scenes are presented, two small checkmarks that resemble the ones that appear when a WhatsApp message has been read or seen appear at the bottom right of the movie titles. This is a kind gesture that honours such characteristic. It continues WhatsApp’s branding efforts by highlighting the company’s commitment to fostering human connections, particularly among those who live across the globe.Antetokounmpo has had a busy week away from the court. The NBA player and former ESPN pundit Jay Williams unveiled Improbable Media. Gian𝒗is: The Marvellous Journey, a full-length documentary about his life story, will debut on Prime Video on February 19 and represent the company’s first major project.