Bucks Forward Kyle Kuzma Mocks NYC Mayor Mamdani as ‘Playing President’ Over Netanyahu Video This Week

Milwaukee Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma has publicly criticized New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, dismissing his recent call for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s arrest as political posturing rather than substantive governance.

A viral video draws a pointed response

The dispute began after Mamdani posted a video ahead of the United Nations General Assembly calling for Netanyahu’s arrest under an outstanding International Criminal Court warrant. In the video, Mamdani described Netanyahu as a “war criminal,” said the Israeli leader was not welcome in New York City, and argued that while the city itself lacks authority to enforce the warrant, the federal government does. “It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant,” Mamdani said, adding that he was calling on federal officials to join the ICC and carry out the arrest if Netanyahu travels to the city for the U.N. gathering in September. According to reporting on the video, it surpassed 80 million views on X.

Kuzma, a nine-year NBA veteran, reshared Mamdani’s video with sharp criticism of his own. “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, before broadening the critique into a wider commentary on public figures he views as prioritizing image over substance. He continued the post with additional examples, writing, “A mayor playing president. A founder playing operator. A content creator playing one-on-one thinking he’s a pro. A 25yr old with a ring light playing economist. Everyone auditioning. Nobody building.”

A dismissive reply to critics

Kuzma’s post quickly drew pushback from users who questioned both the substance of his criticism and his choice of target. One user responded by turning the “cosplaying” framing back on Kuzma himself, writing, “and you’re cosplaying as a basketball player.” Kuzma offered little in the way of a detailed rebuttal, responding simply, “yea, sure lol.” Other users argued that Kuzma had chosen to direct his criticism at a public official calling for accountability over alleged war crimes rather than at what they viewed as more fitting targets for his broader point about performative public figures.

Legal and political context surrounding the ICC warrant

The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024, alleging he intentionally targeted civilians and used starvation as a method of warfare during Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. Israel does not recognize the ICC’s jurisdiction, and Netanyahu has repeatedly denied the allegations against him. The United States has also never ratified the treaty establishing the ICC, meaning the court’s authority is not directly binding on American federal or local law enforcement.

Mamdani had previously indicated that his administration explored whether New York City police could act on the warrant if Netanyahu visited for the U.N. General Assembly, a position he first outlined before winning office. He has since acknowledged publicly that the city lacks independent legal authority to execute the warrant on its own, a point he reiterated in the video that prompted Kuzma’s criticism, while continuing to call on the federal government to take action instead.

A divided reaction within the NBA

Kuzma’s comments stood in contrast to reactions from other prominent NBA figures. According to reporting on the episode, players including Kyrie Irving and Victor Wembanyama expressed support for Mamdani’s message, illustrating how the mayor’s stance on the issue has split opinion even among high-profile figures within the league. That division reflects broader public disagreement over Mamdani’s approach, with supporters framing his position as a principled stand on international law and accountability, while critics argue he is overstepping the practical bounds of his office by focusing on matters of foreign policy well beyond his authority as a city mayor.

Criticism from Jewish organizations and political opponents

Mamdani’s rhetoric regarding Israel has drawn repeated condemnation from Jewish advocacy organizations and political opponents throughout his time in office, who have argued his statements on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have at times crossed into inflammatory territory. Critics have separately argued that Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist elected to lead the country’s largest city, should prioritize addressing local challenges such as public safety, sanitation and housing affordability rather than engaging with international disputes that fall outside a mayor’s formal jurisdiction.

Mamdani has faced this line of criticism before

This isn’t the first time Mamdani has addressed the Netanyahu arrest warrant question publicly. In earlier interviews, including one with Fox News before he won office, Mamdani said he intended to uphold international law and would look to exhaust every available legal option to act on the warrant rather than attempt to create new legal authority for himself. He drew a contrast at the time between his own approach and that of President Donald Trump, saying, “Unlike Donald Trump, I’m someone who looks to exist within the confines of the laws that we have.”

No formal response from Kuzma’s team or the league

As of this report, neither the Milwaukee Bucks organization nor the NBA had issued any comment regarding Kuzma’s remarks about Mamdani. Kuzma has not elaborated further on his position beyond his initial social media posts, and it remains unclear whether he intends to address the criticism directly in future public comments.

With Netanyahu’s potential attendance at the U.N. General Assembly in September still pending, the question of how New York City and federal authorities might respond to his visit is likely to remain a point of political and public debate. Mamdani has continued to press the federal government to act on the ICC warrant, even while acknowledging the city’s own limited authority in the matter, ensuring the issue is likely to resurface as the September gathering approaches, alongside continued public reaction from figures both inside and outside professional sports.