Vin Baker meets Giannis again: "He's like a son to me"
Vin Baker, new assistant coach of the Miami Heat, reunites with Giannis Antetokounmpo after eight seasons together in Milwaukee. Baker describes the Greek star as "a son" and even officiated his marriage in 2024.
== sync, corrected by elderman == @elder_man
Background: eight years of living together in Milwaukee.
Before any tactical scheme, the arrival of Vin Baker to Erik Spoelstra's technical committee at Miami Heat has a personal explanation. The former NBA player worked side by side with Giannis Antetokounmpo for eight seasons in Milwaukee, and it is precisely this relationship that now accompanies him to South Beach, where the Heat prepares for the 2026-27 season with the Greek star on the roster.
The Bond Beyond the Court
In a press conference on Thursday, Baker detailed how the friendship was built. "I took on a mentor role before anything else and we became very close personally", he said.
The trust is of such magnitude that Baker even officiated the wedding of Giannis, a native of Athens in 2024, and it's this ballast of trust he brings to Heat staff with the mission of helping the power hitter read scoring doubles and operate on the pitcher alongside Bam Adebayo.
The motivation for the new chapter
"Giannis is one of the greatest athletes we have in sports today, and he's motivated", Baker said.
The team's next commitments
Preparation begins Monday with the traditional pre-season Media Day at Kaseya Center, followed by training camp on Tuesday.
- 3 October against the Toronto Raptors in Quebec City; and, as a result of this decision,
- Then at home, friendly against the New Orleans Pelicans, Minnesota Timberwolves and Brooklyn Nets;
- 16 October pre-season wrap up, away to the Orlando Magic; and
- 21 October Regular season opener against the Timberwolves at Kaseya Center.
Where the story is now
The Heat enter this pre-season phase with an ambitious project in place: the newly arrived star, an assistant who knows his game like few and a calendar that starts to count for real on October 21.
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Source: Eurohoops
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