Nigerian-born Greece international, Giannis Antetokounmpo could be on his way to joining Bam Adebayo at Miami Heat in USA’s prestigious league, as he links with another player with ancestral origin from Africa’s most populous country.
However, Sports247 gathered that the chances of Adebayo saying welcome to ‘The Greek Freak’ are not straight forward, as Boston Celtic also want Antetokounmpo to star for them next season in USA’s National Basketball Association (NBA).
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However, based on track records and pedigree between both sides, Antetokounmpo could prefer moving to The Heat, where he will star alongside ‘Bam,’ whose full name is Edrice Femi Adebayo and is a former USA international.
Adebayo, who played college basketball for Kentucky Wildcats in the NCAA before he was selected by Miami Heat with the 14th overall pick in the 2017 draft, is a three-time NBA All-Star and six-time All-Defensive Team honoree.
While ‘Bam’ helped Miami to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023, Antetokounmpo (whose real name is Giannis Sina Ugo Adetokunbo) won the title with Milwaukee Bucks in 2021, their first championship gong since 1971, and he was named MVP.
A report by Sports Yahoo revealed, “Giannis Antetokounmpo could be in his final days as a member of the Milwaukee Bucks. With the 2026 NBA Draft starting on Tuesday, The Bucks have plenty of motivation to make that trade now.
“Given Antetokounmpo’s stature – a 10-time All-Star and two-time MVP – he was going to draw immense interest from around the league. Hours before a trade is expected, two teams have emerged as most likely to acquire Antetokounmpo.”
Sports247 reports further that, while there has been no official announcement yet, with the deadline fast approaching, Antetokounmpo dropped a hint in his latest social media post suggesting a possible departure from Milwaukee Bucks.
In the post on X, Antetokounmpo shared a black-and-white photo of himself on the court, accompanied by a reflective caption that read, “GOD, I trusted you at the beginning, and I will continue to trust you throughout.”
Born and raised in Athens to Nigerian parents, Antetokounmpo began playing basketball for the youth teams of Filathlitikos in Athens, before entering the 2013 NBA draft, where he was selected 15th overall by The Bucks.
In 2017, he led The Bucks in all five major statistical categories and became the first player in NBA history to finish a regular season in the top 20 in all five statistics: total points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks.
He received the NBA Most Improved Player award in 2017, has ten NBA All-Star selections, including being selected as an All-Star captain in 2019, 2020, 2023, and 2024 as he led the Eastern Conference in voting in these four years.
