While Giannis Antetokounmpo leaves a legacy as arguably the greatest Milwaukee basketball player and furthermore arguably the greatest Milwaukee athlete period. One would be remiss to not speak on the way in which we got here. The kid who grew up with next to nothing in Greece, to the man who built and saved a city across the globe from where he grew up.
Giannis born and raised in Athens, was drafted 15th overall in the 2013 NBA draft. A project player who little of the fanbase even knew, heading into the night received heavy criticism. A team that was desperate to build a roster that could win and thrive amongst widespread reprimand for the decision to play the middle ground.
A team that didn’t win enough to be serious contenders, but also not fully tanking and being in play to win the lottery. It seemed as though the Bucks front office were looking for a savior. Well, little did anybody know they found it with Giannis.
Giannis leaves a hero to many in the city despite recent criticisms, much shows in the feedback since the trade. The love for what he has accomplished and built is not lost on fans, at the time of leaving the bucks he leaves with an average of 28 points, 10 rebounds and five assists a game.
A two-time MVP, one time Defensive Player of the Year, MostImproved Player of the Year, 10 time all star including an All-Star game Most Valuable Player award. Not only that but an NBA Cup Champion and Most Valuable Player award, a two-time league Most Valuable Player, an NBA championship as well as an NBA championship Most Valuable Player award.
His legacy on the court is vast and while that is immensely valuable to the city of Milwaukee, his impact off the court is just as if not more valuable.
In a time when it was unclear if the bucks would be able to sustain and continue to stay in Milwaukee, Giannis was the pillar that seemingly brought the sustainability to be able to stay in the city.
If any reason was to provide justification to stay in the city, Giannis was not only the answer but advocated as the answer as well. At the time of his rise in 2016-17, the same year the city agreed to their lease with the franchise tying them to the city until 2046.
Today we see an arena in the Fiserv Forum and a deer district that shines bright in downtown Milwaukee, business’ and an area that breathes life into the city. What is remembered is legacy and remembering Milwaukee before Giannis is a Bradley Center that seemingly stood alone surrounded by abandoned desolate former industrial infrastructure. A city once lacking hope found it all in Giannis Antetokounmpo.
This was not just work that was done by virtue of Giannis, he wasn’t leading the charge just through basketball. He was doing groundwork, investing in the city and much is the evidence with the newly added Trade Hotel and AntetokounBros shop attached to it.
The build of what we see now was not done overnight and much of it the city thanks to Giannis. It was announced the night before the 2026 NBA draft by Shams Charania, that Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis would be traded to the Miami Heat for Tyler Herro, Kel’el Ware, Jaime Jaquez jr and Kasparas Jakučionis as well as three first round picks (#13 in the 2026 draft, a 2031 first round pick and a 2033 first round pick) a 2030 first round pick swap and a 2033 second round pick.
A seemingly massive haul but a fair one given the player in Giannis we are speaking of. Tyler Herro, entering a contract year is coming off a season in which he averaged 20 points, four rebounds and four assists and is being looked to as the commander of the Bucks rebuild at least for the first season.
Herro, born and raised in Greenfield, WI is having his homecoming moment and will look to right the course of the ship. Ware, coming into his third season and presumed first year in which he will have a starting role, is seen as a great young big man who could be a huge piece of the rebuild. Especially given the future team control the bucks will have and the potential seen in Ware.
Last season Ware averaged 11 points, nine rebounds and an assist. Jaquez another player going into the last year of his rookie deal was second in the sixth man of the year voting last season. He averaged 15 points, five rebounds and four assists, a good piece in the trade that has the flexibility to start or be your sixth man for the future.
Jakučionis is a controllable high ceiling guard who is coming off his rookie season. The 2025 first round pick averaged six points, two rebounds and two assists in his first season of work, a player with unlimited potential.
The Draft
The Bucks took to the draft this year looking to as Jon Horst said in his post first round availability, “I think we’re always building, We’re always looking towards adding positional size. I think that the character component of these two young men we were able to draft matters a ton.”
“I think we talked a lot at Taylor’s (Taylor Jenkins) press conference about style of play, identity and who we want to be and the things we want to do,” said Horst. “It takes processors, people that can think the game, that can attack space and create advantages that are going to play on both sides of the ball, that are big at their positions. That’s how you also take advantage of space, that’s the vision.”
So as Horst stated the attributes of positional size, play style and youth are the biggest measures for which the bucks are looking to draft now in the lottery permitted to able to do so at least for this draft. The bucks would select Arizona guard, Brayden Burries at pick ten.
The 20 year-old averaged 16 points, five rebounds and two assists in his freshman season. The young guard played with two other draft picks in first rounder. Koa Peat and second rounder Jaden Bradley, Burries will be well prepared for his usage in a system with ball dominant guards such as Tyler Herro and Ryan Rollins. There is also a possibility of gaining Kevin Porter Jr if he decides to return on his player option.
With the 13th pick in the NBA draft, the Bucks took forward Nate Ament, out of Tennessee.
The lengthy 19 year-old averaged 16 points, six rebounds and two assists for the Volunteers this season leading them to the elite eight. The young wing had long been tied to the team, especially since Bucks owner Jimmy Haslem is a Tennessee NIL booster.
Nate Ament, is a project player drawing comparisons as a similar project to the likes of Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo. these are obviously large shoes to fill as he looks to be a building block of a Rebuilding Bucks team.
With the last pick (60) in the NBA draft, the bucks took 21 year-old 6’8 forward Malique Lewis.
Lewis, from Trinidad played his last year of basketball in Australia and New Zealand’s NBL for the Southeast Melbourne Phoenix. He averaged seven points, four rebounds and two assists. The young wing is noted for playing above the rim and great defensive ability.
The Future of the Bucks
Giannis is a pioneer and pillar of not only the Bucks, but the city as a whole. Milwaukee had long dreamed of a day when a player who as big a superstar as Giannis was, embraced the city as much as he did.
Essentially keeping the bucks in Milwaukee and building the city as a whole. He will forever be remembered as an icon. Like all good things, his time of playing in Milwaukee was always destined to end at some point. A lot sooner than most would’ve hoped but the Bucks had a decision to make and to do right by him in the end.
Today, the Bucks must look to rebuild and get back to the finals much like they did in 2021. They started that and reset the clock by trading Giannis, and look to the future.