Giannis Antetokounmpo’s first preseason game in a Miami Heat uniform was quite the event and head coach Erik Spoelstra’s postgame comparison of him to Magic Johnson was a significant glimpse into the potential role Miami is planning for him this season. The comparison with Johnson was quite meaningful, given that team president Pat Riley coached the Los Angeles Lakers’ legend in the 1980s.

The Heat’s 129-105 win over the Toronto Raptors came in Quebec City, the first NBA preseason game ever played there, and doubled as Antetokounmpo’s debut with his new team. He finished with nine points, four rebounds, and seven assists in just 14 minutes, a modest stat line by his standards but one where his assist total stood out given how few minutes he played and Spoelstra’s post game comments.

Spoelstra put the ball in Antetokounmpo’s hands and let him operate as their primary playmaking hub much more than the Milwaukee Bucks did with him in recent years. Antetokounmpo repeatedly broke down Toronto’s defense off the dribble, drew extra attention driving into the paint, and found open shooters once the defense collapsed.

Andrew Wiggins and Tim Hardaway Jr. were the most direct beneficiaries on this evening, with Wiggins making four of six three-point attempts and Hardaway going three for three. Miami also brought in Klay Thompson, one of the best shooters in NBA history, this offseason, giving Antetokounmpo no shortage of potential perimeter targets. Even Bam Adebayo and Davion Mitchell, players not typically known for their outside shooting, each knocked down a three of their own in this preseason win and will be expected to continue doing so with more frequency this coming regular season.

Antetokounmpo, still only 31, remains firmly in his prime, which makes this experiment all the more exciting for Heat fans. He has made 10 All-Star teams, won two MVP awards, and led the Bucks to the 2021 NBA title while earning Finals MVP honors along the way. If Miami genuinely intends to run its offense through him as its primary facilitator, there is no doubt that the Heat will be a team to watch this season.

For reference, Antetokounmpo is no stranger to playmaking and is averaging five assists a game across his 13 NBA seasons, with his career high of 6.5 coming in two consecutive seasons, the 2023-24 and 2024-25 seasons. A larger role as Miami’s primary ball-handler could help him set a new career-high number, and with it, a strong case for another MVP award given the kind of statistical season he could potentially put together.

That potential is part of why this Heat team should be entertaining for fans to watch and worrisome for opposing Eastern Conference teams this season. How Antetokounmpo’s game meshes with Adebayo’s inside the paint, and the consistency of their perimeter shooters will ultimately shape how far Miami can go. 

One preseason game in Quebec City will not answer those questions, but it offered enough glimpses to suggest that Antetokounmpo and the Heat are in for a memorable season.