Why NBA Star Says NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Is 'Playing President'

Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma says New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is “playing president,” criticizing the mayor’s decision to post a video ahead of the United Nations General Assembly urging action against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Kuzma, speaking on X, dismissed the message as “cosplaying” without authority, talent, or track record, and expanded his point into a broader critique of a culture he says rewards appearances over substance. Mamdani’s clip called for Netanyahu’s arrest via an International Criminal Court warrant. While Mamdani later acknowledged New York cannot arrest foreign leaders, NBA players Kyrie Irving and Victor Wembanyama liked the post.