Giannis, Portis (and LeBron?) set to speak on Thursday. What to know, as big day for Heat nears
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks looks on against the Miami Heat during the first quarter at Kaseya Center on March 12, 2026 in Miami.
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As the Miami Heat’s summer league finishes its work in Las Vegas in the coming days, most of the Heat’s top executives will be in Miami on Thursday to take in a big day for the organization.
The Heat will hold the introductory news conference for two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on Thursday at 3 p.m. at Kaseya Center. A few hours before Antetokounmpo’s moment, the Heat will also host the introductory news conference for veteran forward Bobby Portis on Thursday at 12:30 p.m. at its home arena.
There will not be a fan event at Kaseya Center to welcome Antetokounmpo and Portis on Thursday.
“It’s a very, very exciting time,” Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Wayne Ellington said, with Miami playing its final two summer league games of the year on Thursday and Friday in Las Vegas. “We’re all excited. Everybody in Miami is talking about the Miami Heat and Giannis Antetokounmpo. So it’s an exciting time. We’re all excited to get ready for this training camp.”
The Heat will stream Antetokounmpo and Portis’ news conferences live on its YouTube channel at YouTube.com/MiamiHeat.
In addition, WPLG Local 10 will have live coverage of Antetokounmpo’s press conference at 3 p.m. on Thursday.
The Heat traded guard Tyler Herro, center Kel’el Ware, forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. guard Kasparas Jakucionis and a load of draft capital to the Bucks to acquire Antetokounmpo and Portis in a trade agreed to in late June and finalized on July 6.
WPLG Local 10, which is the Heat’s new television home for this upcoming season, will also have a Giannis-related show starting at 8 p.m. on Thursday to recap what Antetokounmpo and Portis said at their introductory news conferences.
All the while, free agent and NBA icon LeBron James is also expected to speak on Thursday during Fanatics Fest NYC at the Javits Center in New York. James will join Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton on “Mind the Game Live” starting Thursday at 1:15 p.m.
Then at 3 p.m. on Thursday, James is scheduled to be the first guest at the CNBC and Boardroom Game Plan sports business summit in New York.
James will also be on “The Shop Live” with longtime business partner Maverick Carter and tennis star Novak Djokovic starting Friday at noon during Fanatics Fest NYC.
There will not be a live stream of James’ shows at Fanatics Fest. CNBC also isn’t airing James’ appearance on Thursday.
The Heat is among the teams in pursuit of James, 41, in free agency. ESPN’s Shams Charania identified the Cleveland Cavaliers, Heat, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves as the primary suitors for James.
As for Antetokounmpo, 31, he’s still at the top of his game despite just finishing his 13th NBA season. He averaged 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game while shooting 62.4% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range in 36 appearances for the Bucks this past regular season.
But injuries have been an issue for Antetokounmpo recently, as he played a career-low 36 games last season due in large part to multiple calf strains. He then sustained a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise on March 15 that cut his season short.
When healthy, Antetokounmpo is still considered one of the NBA’s top players. Not only was he named the league’s MVP for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, but he finished in the top four in MVP voting in seven straight seasons before injuries limited him this past season.
Antetokounmpo has also been named to nine All-NBA teams (seven first-team selections and two second-team selections) and five All-NBA Defensive teams (four first-team selections and one second-team selection) during his career. He was also named the NBA’s Most Improved Player for the 2016-17 season and the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year for the 2019-20 season.
But the highlight of Antetokounmpo’s career came when he led the Bucks to the NBA championship in 2021, averaging 30.2 points, 12.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per game during that playoff run. He was named the 2021 NBA Finals MVP.
The Bucks drafted Antetokounmpo with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft as an 18-year-old out of Greece. He spent his entire NBA career with the Bucks prior to this trade to the Heat.
Portis, who is entering his 12th NBA season, averaged 13.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 48.8% from the field and 45.6% on 4.4 three-point attempts per game last season with the Bucks. The Heat marks the fifth different team that Portis, 31, has played for during his NBA career.
The Heat is scheduled to hold its annual media day on Sept. 28 at Kaseya Center before opening training camp on Sept. 29 to kick off the 2026-27 season.
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Anthony Chiang
Miami Herald
Anthony Chiang covers the Miami Heat for the Miami Herald. He attended the University of Florida and was born and raised in Miami.
