Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to leave a lasting legacy with the Miami Heat, despite not having played a single NBA regular season game with the team yet.
Antetokounmpo shared a video on his personal YouTube channel showing behind the scenes of his media day in Miami.
In the video, Giannis and Bam Adebayo enter the Miami arena and see the retired Heat jerseys, to which Adebayo delivers a bold statement:
"I'd go beside UD [Udonis Haslem]. And you can be next to me."
Antetokounmpo responded to his teammates words with excitement and a certain expectation.
"Speak it to existence. Hopefully, I leave my mark here, man."
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Credit Getty Images via AFP - Scanpix
Giannis experienced Heat culture from Pat Riley
During his brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo's podcast, Thanalysis Show, Giannis revealed the story of how Heat team president Pat Riley visited him in Greece and spoke to people in his circle as a part of building the famous Heat culture.
"He was respectful. We had spent time with every single person, had a conversation with everybody because he came all the way came to Greece," Antetokounmpo spoke about Riley.
"All the way to the court that we grew up playing. Came all the way there. He worked out with me and everything. And he spent like time with everybody in that gym. So I was like, 'Oh, wow.'"