Speaking at Monday’s media day, Giannis Antetokounmpo said he’s “in a very, very good place” as he prepares for his first season with the Heataccording to Barry Jackson and Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (subscription required). He admitted that it’s “still weird” adjusting to a new setting after spending 13 years in Milwaukee, but he described Miami as “a culture that fits my personality.”
“I thrive when I’m uncomfortable. … I’m going to succeed by working,” Antetokounmpo said. “The goal is to win a championship. So many players that have played here have been successful. I want to be part of that. Hopefully, I will leave my mark with this organization. Three, five, 10 years from now, I want (everyone to know) I made that decision (to join the Heat) a good decision.”
Injuries limited Antetokounmpo to 36 games last season, and even though he made his 10th straight All-Star appearance, he didn’t play enough to qualify for MVP honors, marking the first time in eight years that he finished outside the top four in the voting. Asked Monday if he still considers himself to be the best player in the world, Antetokounmpo answered with a qualifier.
“Yes. If not the best, I’m one of the best players in the world,” he said. “… The best player is who helps his team go deep in the playoffs and win a championship. I don’t care about being the best. I care about being a winner … right now, the best team in the NBA is the Knicks.”
There’s more from Miami, all from Jackson and Chiang:
- Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo did their media day appearance together, and they spoke about the chance to team up after battling each other for so long. Adebayo said great players “push each other and make each other better,” and Antetokounmpo expressed a similar sentiment. “It’s fire meeting fire,” he said. “If I guard Bam every day at practice, when he goes against any player in the league, it would be much harder. It goes both ways. That competitive spirit, we have to keep activating that. We have to keep pushing one another and setting the example.”
- Coach Erik Spoelstra discussed the offseason roster overhaul, saying, “It felt like the appropriate time to try something new.” He added that Antetokounmpo is “here for a reason” and stated that he won’t need to “reinvent” the offense for the new players to fit in. “We want him to establish himself in that conversation of the best player in the league,” Spoelstra said. “We are not bringing him here to take a step back. “Can we add? Not add to his game? The environment, the style of play, the feeling in the locker room – can that bring out another level in him which would bring about a massive improvement in the locker room.”
- Spoelstra also addressed the free agency addition of Klay Thompsonwho reunites with Andrew Wiggins after they won a championship together with Golden State in 2022. “They shared something amazing and beautiful that we’re trying to get here,” Spoelstra said. “What Klay has done in this league should be celebrated in our locker room, which it is. He can be excited about this possibility of a new experience.”