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Giannis Antetokounmpo arrives ready to win with Heat: 'I wanted to be here'

Ira Winderman, South Florida Sun-Sentinel on

Published in Basketball

MIAMI — Finally, Giannis Antetokounmpo in the flesh. The Greek Freak has arrived.

Weeks after the blockbuster trade with the Milwaukee Bucks was consummated and days after it was signed off by the NBA, the Miami Heat unveiled their prized acquisition Thursday at Kaseya Center, amid ample fanfare.

With Heat president Pat Riley and coach Erik Spoelstra at his side, questions were answered, as the Heat await the greater truths of the transaction this coming season.

— The session began with Riley speaking of general manager Andy Elisburg telling him last month, “We have a deal.”

— Riley then said, “This is in my mind a long time coming. I think the city of Miami deserves it.”

— Of his first conversation with Antetokounmpo, Riley said, “I felt the conviction in his voice of the same things I want, Spo wants, that the Arison family wants.”

— Riley added, “We’re not going to wait.”

– Riley then said. “Our plan is to go for it right from the beginning.”

— From there, Riley said, “It’s nirvana for me.”

— Also saying, “He wants to win. And he wants to win big. We’re not here guaranteeing anything, but we want to win.”

— But Riley said work also remains, “We landed the plane. Now there’s another one we have to land.”

— Riley, though, would not confirm that “plane” is LeBron James, who remains a free agent.

— Next up are extension talks, with Riley saying, “We hope that Giannis can be here to the end of his career.”

— Riley also cited having Bam Adebayo to play at Giannis’ side, “I forgot to mention a name, Bam. And I don’t want to get knocked out.”

— Spoelstra opened by noting, “We’re excited about it, and that’s a big-time understatement.”

— Spoelstra added, “We’ve had a lot of battles with him and out of that is a lot of respect.”

— Spoelstra continued, “On any given day or year, he can be best on the planet.”

— Giannis then opened with, “I’ve always had huge respect for the Miami Heat organization.”

— He added, “I was always curious what made them so unique.”

 

— Of being traded in the deal the Heat sent out Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and significant draft capital, Giannis said. “In order to get to my next level, I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone.”

— With the Heat providing that outlet, “It’s a no-brainer I wanted to be here, I’m ready to get to work.”

— So moving on, Giannis said, it was, “In order for me to get to the next level, I gotta get out of my comfort zone and Miami was the place to be.”

— As for dealing away so much, Riley said: “I wish them nothing but the best. They’re great young players. But we’re about now.”

— Giannis joked of one player who remains how he needed extra sleep to play against Adebayo, “Bam is 99.9%. You know that’s he’s fighting.’

— He added, “Basketball-wise when the two heads of the snake work hard are very competitive, everyone will follow our lead.”

— Of arriving from Atlanta where he watched Lionel Messi and Argentina win a World Cup semifinal, he said, “When you see that, you get inspired. I got really, really inspired watching him play.”

— Of going from No. 34 to No. 7 on his jersey, he said, “If you add three and four, it equals seven.” Said out of respect to Bucks, “I decided to leave that number there and start a new chapter.”

— Now, he said, it’s for real, “Everything is new. I think until last night when I got off the plane, it didn’t hit me yet.”

— With winning the ultimate prize being the ultimate goal, “One of my goals is to win a lot of championships. I think this is the best route for me to do that.”

— He said he does not know a lot about Miami, but said, “I’m here to listen. I’m here to learn.”

— He said a goal would be to “try to leave a mark.”

— Also of Miami, he says, I like it, it’s warm,” but adds he doesn’t like the iguanas.

— “I don’t like those,” he said. “They have to stay away from me.”

— So Miami as last career stop? “The business of NBA, nothing is guaranteed in life.”

— Says it’s up to him to make it work with the Heat, “I got to do my part.”

— He noted his aunt has lived in Miami for about 25 years.

— Throughout the session, Giannis referred to Riley, as “Mr. Pat.”


©2026 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

 

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