Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed that Miami Heat president Pat Riley traveled to Greece during the summer and worked out with him on the court where the Milwaukee Bucks star grew up playing basketball.
Barry Jackson reported the revelation, citing Antetokounmpo’s appearance on the ThanalysisShow. Riley reportedly showed up at Antetokounmpo’s childhood court and worked out with the two-time NBA MVP.
The visit took place during a summer that ultimately saw Antetokounmpo move from Milwaukee to Miami in a blockbuster trade agreed on June 22 and finalized on July 6.
The Heat acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Bucks, sending Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, Kel’el Ware, the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft and future draft assets to Milwaukee.
Miami’s pursuit of Antetokounmpo reshaped the franchise’s plans for the 2026-27 season. The Heat had finished 43-39 in 2025-26 and lost to Charlotte in the play-in tournament, missing the playoffs.
Antetokounmpo arrived after another productive season in Milwaukee, although injuries limited him to 36 games in 2025-26. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists while shooting 62.4% from the field.
The 31-year-old forward has averaged 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists across 895 regular-season games in his NBA career. He won consecutive MVP awards in 2019 and 2020 and led Milwaukee to the NBA championship in 2021.
Miami added further shooting around its new centerpiece during the offseason, signing Klay Thompson and Tim Hardaway Jr. while retaining Andrew Wiggins on a three-year contract. Antetokounmpo is expected to headline a roster that also features Bam Adebayo.
The forward has already appeared in three preseason games for Miami. He recorded 20 points, 15 rebounds and nine assists in a 144-128 win over Brooklyn on October 14, following an 18-point performance against New Orleans and a nine-point outing against Toronto.
