NBA star rips socialist NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani as 'mayor playing president' after Netanyahu video - Fox News

What the report says

Fox News reported that Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani after a video in which Mamdani addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu circulated online. Kuzma, responding on X, described Mamdani as a “mayor playing president” and argued that public figures were being rewarded for appearances and online messaging rather than substantive work.

According to Fox, Mamdani’s video called for Netanyahu’s arrest under an International Criminal Court warrant ahead of the United Nations General Assembly. The report said Mamdani had previously asked the city’s legal department to review whether New York police could enforce such a warrant, but later acknowledged the city lacked legal authority to arrest visiting foreign leaders.

Fox also reported that the video drew a mixed response from NBA figures. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving and San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama were described as having liked Mamdani’s Instagram post, while Kuzma’s response placed him on the opposite side of the public reaction. The outlet said representatives for Irving and Wembanyama did not respond to a request for comment from OutKick.

The dispute matters because it links international legal and diplomatic controversy to city politics and sports figures’ public platforms. Fox noted that Israel rejects the ICC’s jurisdiction and that Netanyahu has denied the court’s allegations. The article also framed the episode as part of broader criticism Mamdani has faced from Jewish organizations and political opponents over his rhetoric on Israel, while critics argue he should focus on New York issues such as crime, sanitation and housing affordability.