Artist sued by Giannis Antetokounmpo for selling fan art anew
MANILA, Philippines — A New York-based artist is being sued by reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for selling artwork with his likeness on online marketplace Redbubble.
Jordan Zangrillo, 31, was contacted by the firm that represents Antetokounmpo over an artwork he first posted on his Instagram back in September 2020, serving him a cease and desist order.
An independent artist, Zangrillo started to sell some of his artwork online, including one of Antetokounmpo but was unable to record any sale of the item in question.
The 31-year-old immediately ceased selling any of his products while also permanently deleting his website on Redbubble.
However, the Bucks star's attorneys were not satisfied with his actions and demanded a settlement of $2,000 for the damages.
Zangrillo reached out to Philstar.com in hopes of alleviating the issue by drawing attention to the fact that he did not make money off of the artwork in question, but that his social status at the moment will also make it difficult to settle.
The New York-based artist revealed to Philstar.com that he is suffering from a chronic disease, and also lost a stable source of income due to the pandemic.
"I was soon unemployed," Zangrillo said.
"[I] started a cartoon account on social media, drawing caricatures of people, for people, and of their favorite sports stars. One of whom, was NBA Star Giannis Antetokounmpo," he added.
The artist is insistent that he made sure to comply with Antetokounmpo's representatives diligently and lambasted the need to settle with a player who already makes millions in his NBA career.
"From my perspective I was compliant from the beginning. I have no record of any sales by this player. No damages equate to $2000 which they are asking," Zangrillo said.
"Last season, Giannis Antetokounmpo signed a five-year contract extension worth an estimated $228 million from the Milwaukee Bucks. He is not hurting for money... This is wrong," he said.
Zangrillo is not alone in this incident, with another fan also having been sued by Antetokounmpo's representatives last year.
READ: Bucks fan allegedly sued by Giannis Antetokounmpo for 'Greek Freak' stickers
The fan also posted their works on Redbubble and was asked to settle $5,000. The fan reached out to Antetokounmpo on social media to address the situation.
However, it remains unclear what happened to the case and if they were able to resolve the matter without the settlement.
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