Giannis arrives in Miami with title pressure front and center
The Heat introduced Giannis Antetokounmpo after a blockbuster deal, and the two-time MVP told ESPN he is chasing another championship.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
3 min read
Giannis Antetokounmpo is officially in Miami, and the Heat did not ease him in quietly: he was introduced Thursday at Kaseya Center beneath the franchise’s three championship banners.
The two-time MVP told ESPN his drive after joining the Heat is “at like a million percent,” saying Miami’s history and expectations have sharpened his push for a second NBA title.
Antetokounmpo said seeing the Heat’s past greats around the arena, including LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning, made the stakes plain. He told ESPN he wants to make the team’s moves pay off and said he is ready for the pressure that comes with the job.
“I want to win and I will do whatever it takes for me to win,” Antetokounmpo told ESPN.
The Heat landed Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Milwaukee Bucks in a deal that sent Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, one pick swap and a second-round pick to Milwaukee, according to ESPN.
Heat president Pat Riley told ESPN that finally getting Antetokounmpo to Miami felt like “nirvana,” after the franchise had held on to assets and young players in pursuit of a superstar. Riley said Antetokounmpo belongs “right at the top” when measured against the elite players Miami has brought in over the years.
Riley said the timing had to be right for a deal of this size, and that Miami had built enough of a package to make it happen.
Antetokounmpo, 31, now joins Bam Adebayo in a frontcourt that Riley described to ESPN as a “very potent power rotation,” with Portis backing them up. Antetokounmpo and Portis already have a championship together, having won with Milwaukee in 2021.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra pointed to the defensive edge he expects from pairing Antetokounmpo with Adebayo. Spoelstra said both players are “elite competitors” and said Miami wants to build a “top-flight defense.”
Portis told ESPN that Antetokounmpo is “hungry” after a difficult final season in Milwaukee. ESPN reported Antetokounmpo played 36 games last season because of injuries while dealing with trade speculation. The Bucks missed the playoffs after three straight first-round exits.
Portis said last season was injury-riddled and included uncertainty around whether Antetokounmpo would be moved or shut down by the team. He told ESPN he believes Miami fans “will be in for a treat.”
Antetokounmpo had already worked out on the Heat practice court Thursday before meeting reporters, according to ESPN.
Both Antetokounmpo and Portis said they grew up watching the James, Wade and Chris Bosh Heat teams that won consecutive championships in 2012 and 2013.
Antetokounmpo told ESPN he wanted to leave his comfort zone at this stage of his career and believed Miami was the right place. He said joining the Heat was a “no-brainer” and called another championship one of his remaining goals.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.