THE TRIBUNE
Wednesday, June 24, 2026, PAGE 9
Giannis Antetokounmpo traded to Heat in blockbuster deal, AP source says !"#$%&#'()*+,-.# /0#!123456177#89:549
ANTETOKOUNMPO
MIAMI (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo wants more championships. So do the Miami Heat. Their interests are officially aligned — and the Heat finally have another superstar.
Ending a marathon watch for the next great Miami get, the Heat landed Antetokounmpo — a two-time NBA MVP and 10-time AllStar — from the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday night in exchange for a massive haul of players and draft picks. The terms, according to a person who spoke to The
Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the move had yet to receive the required league approval: Antetokounmpo and Bobby Portis are heading to Miami for Wisconsin native Tyler Herro, Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kel’el Ware and Kasparas Jakucionis. Milwaukee also gets the No.
13 selection made in last night’s NBA draft, along with a first-round pick swap in 2030, first-round picks in 2031 and 2033 and a second-rounder in 2033, the person said. It ends a wild back-andforth in the final days of the saga, with the Bucks considering offers from
both Miami and Boston for Antetokounmpo — who led Milwaukee to the 2021 NBA title, was on the NBA’s 75th anniversary list of its greatest players ever, is a nine-time All-NBA selection and is coming off an injury-shortened season in which he averaged 27.6 points per game.
put all of our efforts into Puerto Rico. “We are in a position to succeed. “We just have to put it all together when we play our next two games and see what happens after that in the next window.” Like every team has their strengths and weaknesses, McLean said they are looking at strengthening what they have in place to ensure that they can put the best
team on the court possible at the games. “I think this time we will have in Miami bonding together will determine how successful we are on the court,” McLean said. “It’s good to go out there and play, but we want to develop our chemistry off the court. “Once we can do that, when we get on the court, we should be able to execute the game the way it
should be played. So we are looking forward to building chemistry with the team and the coaching staff.” Joining McLean on the coaching staff are Lourawls Nairn, the associate head coach and Charles Allen III, Mychel Thompson and Nashad Mackey as assistant coaches and Willis Mackey as the video coordinator. McLean said all of the coaches have played on the team before with the
exception of Allen, who played a pivotal role as an assistant coach and player development coach with the New York Knicks - this year’s National Basketball Association champions. He said Team Bahamas definitely has the coaching staff that can get the best out of the players selected as they look forward to winning these two games in July in front of the home crowd.
Coach Mikhail McLean eager to take charge of men’s national basketball team FIBA, from Page 12 The Bahamas, currently in fourth place in Group B with a 1-3 win-loss record, will host Jamaica on Friday, July 3 at 8pm and Puerto Rico on Monday, July 6 at 7:10pm at the Kendal Isaacs Gymnasium. The Bahamas won their opener against Jamaica with a 99-96 decision on Thursday, February 26, but lost to Puerto Rico 71-66 on Sunday, March 11 in games played overseas in the home-and-away series. McLean, who was a part of the games played as an assistant to DeMarco, said they are hoping to build some chemistry and get ready to roll when they host their opponents at home. McLean, also an assistant coach for the Bluejays men’s basketball team at the University of Kentucky, said with the departure of DeMarco, he is pleased to take over the foundation that was left in place. “We are in a position where we have a team that is good enough to go out there and compete with anybody,” McLean said. “So taking over now is a really good time to take the team to the next level.” The players invited to the training camp are Deyton Albury, Deandre Ayton, Lathaniel Bastian, Domnick Bridgewater, Jaraun Burrows, Garvin Clarke Jr, Rashad Davis, Romad Dean, VJ Edgecombe, Donovan Freeman, Eric Gordon, Buddy Hield, Samuel Hunter, Kai Jones, Fredrick King Jr, Aaron Levarity, Tavario Miller, Franco Miller Jr, Isaiah Mobley, Travis Munnings, Leano Rolle, Valentino Simon, Kentwan Smith and AJ Storr.
As one of the veterans invited to the camp, Burrows said he’s looking forward to reuniting with all of the players. “We have a good team heading to the training camp, so it’s all about rebuilding the chemistry,” he said. “We know that we have to step our game up and qualify for the World Cup. “With all of our top players coming home again, we have a chance to show the Bahamian public the level of talent that we have to put on the floor. So to get our best all together and to represent the country is exciting.” McLean said all of that excitement is due in part to LJ Rose, the general manager, who has been given the green light by the BBF to assemble the best team possible. “A lot of credit goes to LJ Rose,” McLean said. “He’s worked tremendously over the last four years in putting and keeping all of this talent together. “Buddy Hield has always been a part of it with guys like Kai Jones, who was also there. We kind of build on what we had in place when we were one step away from qualifying for the Olympic Games two summers ago.” McLean said Rose was able to stay in touch with all of the players, keeping them abreast of what the coaching staff has been doing every step of the way and the players brought into the plans. “We are putting together this team of players and we have the coaching staff, so the goal is for us to win,” McLean stressed. “We want to go out there and win our first game against Jamaica and
‘Golden Girl’ Debbie shares a special moment with 400 metres hurdles winner Kei-Mahri
SPECIAL MOMENT: Debbie Ferguson, left, with under-20 girls’ 400 metres hurdles winner Kei-Mahri Hanna at the Bahamas Association of Athletic Associations Junior and Senior National Track and Field Championships at the Thomas A Robinson Track and Field Stadium. Kei-Mahri Hanna erased the junior national record of 57.24 that was held by Katrina Seymour from 2011 when she clocked a blistering 56.74 to win the under-20 girls’ 400m hurdles. As she ended up running the qualifying times for both the NACAC and World Under-20 championships, Hanna now moves up to number seven in her category in the world. Photo: Chappell Whyms Jr
Female quarter-milers are on historic rise STARS, from Page 12 the event, Valcourt, 21, stayed ahead of the pack as she won the national title in 51.01. Cooper, 22, was the runner-up in 51.18 and Farrington, 22, got third in 51.29. Penn, 20, opted to run the 200m, winning in 23.53. With the performances of these women, there’s a lot of expectations brewing, if not for the Central American and Caribbean Games or the Commonwealth Games this summer, at the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, China and the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. As the top four quarter-milers performing this year, the women are hoping that they can get a chance to showcase their skills together as a team this year. “It’s an honour to be considered one of the leaders of this group,” said Valcourt, whose time has placed her fifth on The Bahamas’ alltime list. “We have a talented group of Bahamian quarter-milers, and it’s exciting
to see a multiple of us performing at a high level. I think we can push each other to be better every time we compete.” Valcourt said The Bahamas is heading in the right direction with the women’s quarter-milers. “I believe we have the talent and potential to be competitive on the world stage at events like the World Championships and the Olympics,” Valcourt said. “It would be exciting to see what we can achieve together as a team.” Valcourt and Penn both competed on the mixed relay at the 2024 Olympic Games with Wendell Miller and Alonzo Russell. Valcourt also competed in the heats of the 400m at the 2025 World Championships. Cooper, on the other hand, was selected to the 2024 Olympic team, but didn’t get to compete due to an internal controversy with Shania Adderley. As for Farrington, she has not yet had an opportunity to compete at the senior level and as the latest performer to join the mix of
female quarter-milers, she said she’s eager to see what the future holds. “I have been waiting so long for there to be a 400 crew and I’m loving the fact that there is a deeper squad of talented girls,” said Farrington, who is ninth on the Bahamian all-time list. “To be a part of it, it feels surreal. Before last year I wasn’t in the conversation. I was running okay so I got counted out but, with a lot of hard work and dedication, I got to where I am and I know there’s more left in store. “So I’m happy to be a part of the new upcoming 400m girls.” Farrington admitted that they all have come a long, competing against each other in high school and now all of the hard work is paying off at the collegiate and hopefully the elite level. “I would love to see The Bahamas take a shot at getting us to compete because I think we can do something special,” Farrington said. “Two of us have already hit that 50-second mark
and the other two of us are close to that 50-point mark. I’m sure all of us have a lot more in store and I’m sure if they give us a shot we can accomplish something great.” The quartet ran the fastest times this year by all Bahamians with Valcourt leading with her lifetime best at the NCAA Championships, Penn had the second best mark of 50.78 on May 30 in Lexington, Kentucky. Cooper and Farrington posted their personal bests above at the BAAA Nationals. Shaunae Miller-Uibo, by the way, tops the list with her national record at 48.35. Tonique Williams is second at 49.07, Pauline Davis third at 49.28, Christine Amertil fourth at 50.09 and Printassia Johnson sixth at 50.58. While Miller-Uibo is working her way back to her old form after having her second child, Johnson is coming off an injury after competing at the World Championships in the 400m in Beijing. Williams, Davis and Amertil are now all retired from the sport.