A press conference at the Kaseya Center on Thursday made official the blockbuster trade that brought Giannis Antetokounmpo to the Miami Heat.
Fans chanted “Giannis” inside the arena during his introduction, a moment many saw as the start of a new era for the franchise.
Despite the excitement, Antetokounmpo said he’s ready to meet the high expectations.
“I think I need pressure at this time in my career,” he said. “I think in order for me to go to the next level, I got to get out of my comfort zone and I felt like Miami was a place for me to be.”
The trade also brought Bobby Portis to Miami, where he was introduced at an earlier news conference.
“A lot of people have a lot of things to say about me and a lot of things to say about Bobby,” Antetokounmpo said. “But one thing that I know about him is that, you know, when it’s game time, when the popcorn is popping, he’s going to be ready to go.”
