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

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's remarks about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu drew criticism over the weekend from an unlikely source: Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma, who mocked the democratic socialist as a "mayor playing president."

Responding to the mayor's video on X, the nine-year NBA veteran suggested Mamdani was more concerned with appearances than governing, labeling the mayor's talking points as performative.

Kyle Kuzma No. 18 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks to drive against the Atlanta Hawks during the first quarter at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Jan. 19, 2026. (Getty Images)

Kyle Kuzma No. 18 of the Milwaukee Bucks walks backcourt during a game against the Dallas Mavericks at Fiserv Forum on March 5, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wis. (Getty Images)

"This is 2026. People cosplaying as things they don’t have the authority, the talent, or the track record to actually be. Just for content," Kuzma wrote, quote-tweeting Mamdani's address.

The response came after Mamdani released a video calling for the arrest of Netanyahu under an International Criminal Court warrant ahead of the United Nations General Assembly.

"A mayor playing president. A founder playing operator. A content creator playing one-on-one, thinking he’s a pro. A 25-year-old with a ring light playing economist. Everyone auditioning. Nobody building. We're raising a generation that is learning the reward isn’t in doing the thing; it’s in looking like you did the thing.

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New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks