Giannis Antetokounmpo gets emotional hearing the Bucks fans celebrate him amid his exit

Apr 10, 2026; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) waves towards fans following the game against the Brooklyn Nets at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

For 13 years, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the superstar for the Milwaukee Bucks. He gave the Bucks fans some of the best moments of their lives, highlighted by his 50-point masterclass to close out the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns.

That was their first championship since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who was known as Lew Alcindor, led the Bucks to the 1971 NBA championship. Despite his exit to the Miami Heat, Giannis is up there with Kareem and Oscar Robertson as the greatest players in franchise history.

Giannis Antetokounmpo loves Bucks fans who celebrated his time in Milwaukee

It is easy to see why Giannis is such a beloved figure in Milwaukee. Of course, some fans will dislike him for the lengthy trade saga over the past year. However, that still stems from love for what he brought to the city.

Now, he is finally with the Heat, which has been a long time coming. Team president Pat Riley is known for bringing stars to Miami, and he finally got another one by trading a significant haul for Antetokounmpo.

MORE: Pat Riley thinks the Heat have a top-five player with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis has left Milwaukee for Miami, but it seems the fans will always have love for him. In a recently released video, Antetokounmpo watched plenty of sweet messages from Bucks fans who showed appreciation for his time there.

"Crazy. Doesn't matter where I am. Obviously, I have a new chapter with the Miami Heat, but Milwaukee will always be home. When I see videos like that, it makes me emotional. Don’t cry because it’s over, laugh and smile because it happened. I’m so grateful and happy for the 13 years I was with the Milwaukee Bucks," Antetokounmpo said in the behind-the-scenes video on his YouTube channel.

Antetokounmpo will now be playing for the Heat, which is in the Eastern Conference. He will have multiple visits back home in Milwaukee, and it will be quite interesting if the vocal minority are loud during his return, or if the majority will still show him love.

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