Giannis Antetokounmpo was officially introduced by the Miami Heat on Thursday, expressing intense motivation to add a second championship to his career. He addressed reporters while seated beneath the franchise's three previous championship banners at Kaseya Center.

"It's at like a million percent right now," Antetokounmpo told ESPN. "You walk through the hallways and you see the history and you see the players that have been a part of this organization and things that they've done. I want to make all the moves that they've made worth it.

"It's a place I feel like brings pressure, and I thrive under pressure. It brings the best out of me. I'm excited to be coached by [Erik Spoelstra]. I'm excited to be around the city. I understand the fans are very passionate, but right now, I'm hungry to win. I want to win and I will do whatever it takes for me to win."

Miami acquired Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis from the Milwaukee Bucks in exchange for Tyler Herro, Kel'el Ware, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakucionis, three first-round picks, a pick swap and a second-round pick. Pat Riley called landing Antetokounmpo "nirvana" for the Heat after years of preserving assets for a potential superstar acquisition.

"He's right at the top," Riley told ESPN when asked how Antetokounmpo compares to past Heat greats. "With any of the players that we brought in, Zo, Dwyane, Shaquille, players of that ilk, LeBron, Chris Bosh, Bam [Adebayo] one day is going to be there, Butler. But I just have a feeling that this guy is a little bit more unique in his body and his size and all of the things that he can do on the court."

Antetokounmpo, 31, will pair with Bam Adebayo to form one of the league's most formidable frontcourts. Spoelstra said he plans to lean on both players' competitive intensity to build a strong defensive identity.

"They're elite competitors," said Spoelstra. "It matters to them to defend, and they're gnarly competitors. And if we're not defending the way that we want to, I'm sure that they're going to let everybody know. And that's how you build a great defense."

Antetokounmpo and Portis previously won a championship together in Milwaukee in 2021 before enduring three consecutive first-round exits and missing the playoffs entirely last season. Portis described his former teammate's mindset entering this new chapter.

"He's hungry," Portis told ESPN. "If it's one word I can say, I would just say hungry. Obviously last year, probably not the best year for any one of us. We didn't make the playoffs. It was kind of injury-riddled last year. Obviously the back and forth with getting traded, not getting traded, then get shut down by the team. So I think he has a lot of fuel to the fire and I think the [Miami] fans will be in for a treat."

Portis also expressed excitement about his own role in Miami alongside Antetokounmpo and Adebayo.

"I can see myself playing with either one of those guys," said Portis. "I'm a guy that comes off the bench and plays my role, be a star in my role each and every night. I'm always going to be Bobby. I'm always going to be myself. So I'm super excited for this new opportunity. I didn't want to be anywhere else but here if I got traded, so that's a match made in heaven for me."

Antetokounmpo said he embraced the pressure of joining a new organization at this stage of his career.

"I need pressure at this time of my career," said Antetokounmpo. "I think in order for me to go to the next level, I got to get out of my comfort zone, and I felt like Miami was a place for me to be. We are very like-minded as a team and me, and it was a no-brainer. I wanted to be here. I'm excited to be here and I want to get to work."