The end of the Giannis Antetokounmpo era with the Milwaukee Bucks may have ended in a trade to the Miami Heat after months of tension in the locker room and deep discontent between Antetokounmpo and the team that drafted him, but that doesn't mean that his time in Milwaukee shouldn't be looked at fondly. 

After growing into one of the best players in the NBA before the Bucks' eyes, Antetokounmpo took the team to heights that they hadn't seen in decades. 

As a a superstar, Antetokounmpo won two MVPs with the team, led them to nine-straight winning seasons, two conference finals appearances and a NBA championship in 2021, the first championship the team had seen since 1971, led by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and just the second championship in franchise history. 

So even though Antetokounmpo may be gone and the Bucks may entering into a rebuilding era with an almost-entirely transformed roster, their shouldn't be any doubt that Antetokounmpo is a franchise legend that has defined the modern era of Bucks basketball.

But now that he's joined another team, it may be hard for Bucks fans to feel happy to see Antetokounmpo build a new culture in South Beach and pursue another championship. But former Buck and current analyst Marques Johnson insists that Bucks fans should still be rooting for Antetokounmpo to succeed, even if it isn't in Milwaukee. 

"He's just a great dude and wish him nothing but the best down in Miami," Johnson said (via TheHeatCentral on X). "Everything that he's meant to this city... I think we should all as Bucks people pull for him to have some success down in Miami."

Antetokounmpo was a transformational presence in his decade-plus spent with the Bucks and for many fans, he was the first and only superstar they'd ever known. Antetokounmpo brought the love of basketball back to a city that showed up in droves to support him and the Bucks.

The passion that Milwaukee has for basketball and for Antetokounmpo was a big reason as to why Antetokounmpo agonized so much with his decision to request a trade, despite his frustrations with the team. They may also be a big reason as to why he may come back one day, an idea he's flirted with even before he's played a single minute in Miami.

So for now, it may hurt to see Antetokounmpo go, but that doesn't mean the years he's given to Milwaukee should go away. 

Antetokounmpo will remain, for many people, the face of Bucks basketball for years to come and even if he goes on to find success in Miami or anywhere else, Johnson has a well-founded reason to request that Bucks fans continue to show their love for their former superstar no matter what.