NBA star Kyle Kuzma has launched an attack on Zohran Mamdani after the New York City mayor labelled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a ‘war criminal.’
On Tuesday, Mamdani shared a two-minute clip on social media where he renewed his criticism of Netanyahu and reiterated his opposition to Israel’s military campaign.
Mamdani has previously acknowledged that his intent to detain Netanyahu might face legal difficulties and, in the video, he urged the federal government to consider arresting the Israeli PM based on the International Criminal Court warrant against him.
The clip swiftly went viral on social media and among those to respond was Kuzma, currently of the Milwaukee Bucks, who wrote a scathing response to the NYC Mayor.
Taking to X, he wrote: ‘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.
‘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.
NBA star Kyle Kuzma has launched a stunning attack on New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani
Kuzma replied to a video posted by Mamdani, where he labelled Netanyahu ‘a war criminal’
‘Everyone auditioning. Nobody building. We’re raising a generation that’s learning the reward isn’t in doing the thing it’s in looking like you did the thing.
‘The clip is the career. The pose is the product. The soundbite is the substitute for a life’s work. Don’t fall for distractions,’ he added.
In his video, Mamdani said: ‘It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does.’
‘Netanyahu is not welcome in New York City,’ Mamdani added. ‘Nor is any other war criminal at large.’
Netanyahu may be in DC next week for Lindsey Graham‘s funeral, and is expected to travel to New York in September for the UN General Assembly.
Earlier this week, Donald Trump defended the Israeli PM on Truth Social.
‘Benjamin Netanyahu will not be arrested, in any way, shape, or form, while in the United States of America,’ Trump wrote in a Monday post.
Mamdani’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Kuzma labelled Mamdani as a ‘mayor playing president’ in his scathing response online
A number of prominent figures called out Mamdani over his comments about Netanyahu
Republican New York City Council member Inna Vernikov mocked Mamdani on X for failing to follow through on a campaign promise, asking why he didn’t have his legal team evaluate the idea ‘before you made it a core promise to your comrades.’
Conservative commentator Stephen Miller described the Mayor’s U-turn as ‘just another broken campaign promise for his goober electorate’ in a post of his own.
International diplomacy is generally the purview of the federal government, not local city governments – hence Mamdani’s request that a higher power take action against Netanyahu.
Mamdani addressed some of the criticisms in an unrelated press conference today.
‘I have made clear both that I believe that this is an arrest warrant that should be executed and also that I would follow the laws that we had,’ he said.
Mamdani’s office made headlines earlier this month when his international affairs chief reportedly tried to meet with Iran’s ambassador to the UN, leading to a State Department rebuke.
Netanyahu and his former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant were accused by the ICC in 2024 of having committed crimes against humanity during Israel’s war in Gaza.
