Miami Heat's Giannis Antetokounmpo Has Ultimate Respect For Pat Riley

Miami Heat team president Pat Riley is often known as "The Godfather" around the NBA and South Florida. 

He has picked up another moniker since the Heat signed superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo earlier this month. Antetokounmpo has the utmost respect for the legendary player, coach and executive. 

“I call him Mr. Pat. He told me ‘just call me Pat,"' Antetokounmpo said in an interview with CBS-4 Miami. "Nah, he’s a legend. You got to show people like that respect. I went to his office. It’s a different feeling. Kind of intimidating."

Antetokounmpo is the biggest signing for the Heat since they acquired Chris Bosh and LeBron James to join Dwyane Wade during the Big Three era in 2010. That team won two championships in four straight NBA Finals appearances. It ended with James leaving for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the summer of 2014 but Riley is hoping the latest move leads to more titles. 

Even though the Heat made two Finals runs with Jimmy Butler in the lead role, Antetokounmpo brings more star power. He led the Milwaukee Bucks to a championship in 2021 and is a two-time MVP. He is a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer with plenty left in the tank. 

At 31, Antetokounmpo has shown no signs of slowing down. Most of his decline in production is because of nagging injuries the past few years. But he's back healthy and set to form one of the league's top frontcourt tandems alongside Bam Adebayo. 

With the possibility of still landing James in free agency, the Heat are primed for another run in the Eastern Conference. 

And Riley is still steering the ship. 

"He’s a good guy to have in your corner and I’m excited to play for him," Antetokounmpo said. "I’m excited that I’m here. I’m going to do whatever I can to help this team be great.”

MORE MIAMI HEAT NEWS 

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Pat Riley chimes in on Bam Adebayo-Tyler Herro dust up 

Have the Miami Heat found their latest hidden gem? 

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Shandel Richardson is the publisher of HeatRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected]