Giannis Antetokounmpo may have started a new chapter with the Miami Heat, but he is already making one thing clear: Milwaukee still feels like home.
Speaking about his connection to the city where he spent the first 13 seasons of his NBA career, Antetokounmpo said he hopes to return to Milwaukee once his time in Miami is over, whenever that may be.
“It will always be in my heart, and, luckily, when I finish this cycle with Miami, which I don’t know when it will end, and if, I will definitely return to Milwaukee, and I don’t know if they want me then.”
Milwaukee selected Antetokounmpo with the 15th pick of the 2013 NBA Draft when he was still an extremely raw 18-year-old prospect. Over the next 13 seasons, he developed into the greatest player in modern Bucks history, winning two NBA MVP awards, Defensive Player of the Year and the 2021 NBA championship, when he was also named Finals MVP. By the time he was traded, he had become Milwaukee’s franchise leader in points, rebounds and assists.
His Bucks tenure officially ended in July when Milwaukee traded Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis to Miami in a blockbuster package centered around Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware, Kasparas Jakučionis and significant draft compensation. The deal gave Antetokounmpo the fresh competitive environment he had been seeking while sending Milwaukee into a dramatically different era.
Antetokounmpo has openly acknowledged that leaving his comfort zone was part of the appeal. At his introductory press conference in Miami, he said he wanted pressure at this stage of his career and believed the Heat provided an opportunity to push himself toward another level while continuing to pursue championships.
None of that, however, appears to have diminished his attachment to Milwaukee.
He has spoken repeatedly about the privacy and normality his family was able to enjoy there, as well as the significance of raising his children in the city. In his farewell message after the trade became official, Antetokounmpo called Milwaukee his home and said it would always remain his city, his team and his family.
A future return is obviously far from guaranteed. Antetokounmpo does not know how long his Miami tenure will last, what role he would be capable of playing by the time it ends or what Milwaukee’s roster and organizational direction will look like then. But his intention is unmistakable.
