MIAMI — For Giannis Antetokounmpo, it now is championship visions squared.
In his new home, his second NBA act formally begins with the Miami Heat’s 7:30 p.m. ET Wednesday season opener against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Kaseya Center.
From his previous existence as Milwaukee Bucks icon, there is the ownership stake he acquired in the Milwaukee Brewers, as in the National League’s representative in the World Series against the Tampa Bay Rays that opens Friday in his former playing city.
So a big week, with big visions, but the focus first on basketball, now settled in after his offseason blockbuster trade from the Bucks.
“Teammates, team, system, weather, city, fans, I feel good,” Antetokounmpo said after Tuesday’s practice at Kaseya Center.
“I’m excited. I’m excited to play basketball, play some real basketball. I’m excited to feel the energy in the arena, and I’m just excited to get this journey started.”
Fresh off the team’s Monday gathering at Erik Spoelstra’s home, Antetokounmpo said Tuesday the bonding now feels complete.
“I think our chemistry is where it should be,” he said. “Our approach is incredible. I think we’ve worked extremely hard these 22 days that we’ve been in training camp. We got together as a team, we’ve done a lot of activities off the court as a team. So not only do we spend time here, we spend time out there. So I think our mindset is exactly where it should be.
“Obviously we’re going to get better. This is Game 1. In Game 40, we’re going to be a better team, as long as everybody’s healthy and everybody’s available. So we’ve just got to keep taking the step at a time. The first step, which was training camp, we attacked that step very, very well. I’m proud of myself. I’m proud of the team. Hopefully we can go out there and show it.”
As for the doubters, including those who insist the Heat gave up too much of their depth in the trade that sent Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis and draft capital to the Bucks, Antetokounmpo said that remains the concern of others.
“I think the team is excited for what’s coming,” he said, “Everybody’s locked in, everybody’s focused, so the outside noise does not seep in our locker room or our facility.”
Spoelstra said he sees a player at peace, one ready for this next challenge.
“It’s been pleasant getting to know him on and off the court,” the Heat coach said. “I was able to spend some time over there in Greece, in his neck of the woods. He really cares. He cares deeply about the things that are important to him — his family, his really close friends, and he cares about this game. Those are beautiful qualities.”
As for the will to win, that also now carries over to Antetokounmpo’s baseball interest.
In 2021, Antetokounmpo joined the Brewers’ ownership group with a small minority stake.
For Antetokounmpo, it is part of a diversified sports portfolio, also with ownership stakes in Nashville SC of Major League Soccer, Los Angeles Golf Club of The Golf League and the Milwaukee Wave indoor soccer team.
While Mark Attanasio is the primary owner of the Brewers, other minority shareholders beyond Antetokounmpo include Tony Ressler, principal owner of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, as well as the Uihlein Family of Schlitz brewing lineage.
Antetokounmpo’s ownership stake in the Brewers came a month after leading the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title.
At the time of taking his Brewers ownership stake, Antetokounmpo acknowledged being a baseball neophyte.
“Obviously growing up in Europe, there’s not a lot of baseball over there,” he said. “I can tell you when I was introduced to baseball. I was 18. It was the first day I came to Milwaukee. I came to a game. But I know Christian Yelich. I know he’s a great player.”
And now it’s World Series time in the midst of the Heat’s and the NBA’s opening week.
“It’s incredible,” he said of the Brewers’ postseason run. “I’m so happy for the team. It’s been a lot of years in the works.”
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