Following the official confirmation of his trade to the Miami Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo shared an emotional video tribute to the Milwaukee Bucks and the city of Milwaukee on his social media accounts.
"I hope bringing a trophy to this city meant something to them because it meant so much to me," Antetokounmpo stated in the video. "I want you to hear it from my mouth: The city of Milwaukee will always be in my heart. This is my home. No matter where I am, Milwaukee will always be my city, my team, my family."
Antetokounmpo, along with Bobby Portis, was traded to the Heat on June 22 in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, and the No. 13 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. During his 13 seasons with the Bucks, Antetokounmpo achieved significant career milestones, including two MVP awards, an NBA title and Finals MVP in 2021, ten All-Star selections, and seven All-NBA First Team selections. Despite the team missing the playoffs in his final season, he solidified his legacy as one of the greatest players in Bucks history.
He described the city of Milwaukee as "blue collar" and identified with its hardworking residents. "I hope that I was able to represent them the best that I could. And I was like them. I showed up to work. Did everything that I was willing to do, all the dirty work, just like them," Antetokounmpo said.
The trade signals a youth movement for the Bucks, but General Manager Jon Horst expressed gratitude for the stability Antetokounmpo brought to the organization.
"Since we drafted him in 2013, Giannis had transformed the Milwaukee Bucks in every way – on the court, in our locker room and throughout the community," Horst wrote in a statement to fans. "Over 13 seasons, he became an extraordinary leader, teammate and representative of this city, and one of the defining players of his generation. The standard he set will continue here."
