After 13 seasons leading the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to start a new chapter with the Miami Heat. In Milwaukee, he’s leaving behind a legacy as one of, if not the greatest, players in franchise history.
Antetokounmpo and the Heat are expectedly excited to begin their journey together, but fans who thought he’d rock the same number Ray Allen once did in South Beach are mistaken. As part of the fresh start, Antetokounmpo is getting a new jersey number too.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Changes Jersey Number in Miami
Antetokounmpo played 895 regular season games with the number 34 on his jersey. That won’t be the case in Miami.
For the first time in his NBA career, the 10-time All-Star is switching numbers. Antetokounmpo’s jersey number in Miami will be No. 7.
So, why the change? It’s the same reason he used to pick his first number in Milwaukee, only this time the 31-year-old took a different approach for a different organization.
“I wore 34 because my mom was born in 1963 and my dad was born in 1964 so I took the three and four… if you add three and four, it equals seven… I feel like 34 holds so much weight and it has so much history,” Antetokounmpo said. “Out of respect to the organization that drafted me… I decided to leave that number there and try to start a new chapter.”
“I wore 34 because my mom was born in 1963 and my dad was born in 1964 so I took the three and four… if you add three and four it equals seven… I feel like 34 holds so much weight and it has so much history. Out of respect to the organization that drafted me… I decided to… pic.twitter.com/oR7HcoH8fy
— NBA (@NBA) July 16, 2026
That makes sense when he puts it that way. Plus, from Kobe Bryant to LeBron James, several other players have switched out their iconic numbers for new looks as they’ve reached different stages in their careers, and those moves panned out just fine.
Thirteen players in Heat history have worn the No. 7, most recently used last season by Kel’el Ware, who was included in the trade back to Milwaukee along with Tyler Herro. Other notable names include Lamar Odom, Anfernee Hardaway, Shawn Marion, Jermaine O’Neal, Goran Dragić, and Kyle Lowry.
While that list includes some well-known players and others who had their best moments in a Heat uniform, it shouldn’t take long for Antetokounmpo to be the most memorable player to ever wear No. 7 in Miami.
If all goes well, he’ll have a chance at becoming the ninth Heat player to have their jersey retired, alongside the likes of Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade, and Shaquille O’Neal.
