Giannis Antetokounmpo signed with the Miami Heat this summer, ending his 13-year career with the Milwaukee Bucks [1, 2, 3]. The 31-year-old two-time NBA MVP and 10-time All-Star told reporters that Miami offers his best chance to win another NBA title. "Obviously, I’ve accomplished a lot of things in my career, but one of my goals is to win another championship. I feel like this is the best route for me to do that," Antetokounmpo said [3].

Antetokounmpo wore No. 7 with the Heat, leaving his longtime No. 34 with the Bucks out of respect for the organization that drafted him. "I felt like 34 holds so much weight and has so much history," he explained. "Out of respect to the organization that drafted me and that I played for 13 years, I decided to leave that number there and start a new chapter" [3].

Last season, Antetokounmpo averaged 27.6 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, but the Bucks missed the playoffs amid tense team dynamics [1, 2, 3]. He emphasized that he thrives under pressure and wants to push himself beyond his comfort zone in Miami. "I need pressure. I think to go to my next level, I’ve got to get out of my comfort zone and I feel like Miami was the place for me to be," he said [1].

Heat president Pat Riley introduced Antetokounmpo at the official July 16 event and signaled the team’s ambitions to add more star power. "We landed the plane. Now there’s another one we have to land," Riley said, referring to LeBron James, who announced his departure from the Los Angeles Lakers in June and has not revealed his next destination [1]. Riley also stressed, "We’re not here guaranteeing anything. But we want to win. This is the team that we have right now, and I’m happy with it" [2].

The Heat nearly acquired Antetokounmpo during the February trade deadline before finalizing the deal this summer [1, 2, 3]. With Antetokounmpo joining Miami, the franchise is positioning itself for immediate title contention.

Miami Heat’s next official game with Antetokounmpo on the roster is scheduled for the start of the 2026-27 NBA season in October.