Davion Mitchell to work out with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Greece

LAS VEGAS

Miami Heat guard Davion Mitchell is not wasting any time.

Mitchell wants to build chemistry with his new Heat teammate, so he’s traveling all the way to Greece to do it. Mitchell will arrive in Greece on July 19 and spend a week to work out and start building a relationship with two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in Antetokounmpo’s home country.

“Immediately after I found out [about the trade], I got his number and I texted him,” Mitchell mentioned this week whereas in Las Vegas to absorb summer time league and join with Heat coaches. “Obviously, during the summer, people will move around. So, I’ll just go where he’s at because I’m already going to be over there anyway.”

Mitchell’s offseason schedule already had him in Spain in mid-July for the National Basketball Players Association’s “The Sanctuary” performance retreat and summit, so he’ll just make the short flight to meet Antetokounmpo in Greece from there.

Mitchell and Antetokounmpo “kind of knew each other” before this offseason’s trade because they were both once represented by Octagon. Mitchell has since changed agents.

“I actually asked him, ‘Yo, what are you doing in the summer? I’m honestly trying to work with you and build some chemistry,’” Mitchell recalled from his conversation with Antetokounmpo that led to the plan to spend time together in Greece later this month. “He was like, ‘Do you ever go to Europe?’ And I was like, ‘actually, I’m coming to Europe.’ He said, ‘All right, well, what are you doing from these days?’ I told him and he said, ‘All right, then, you can pull up to Greece if you want.’ Immediately, I said, ‘I’m there.’ So, I’ll pull up there, and we’re going to work out. It’s going to be fun.”

Mitchell believes this upcoming season will be fun, too, after the Heat’s offseason addition of Antetokounmpo. Miami, which missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2019, traded guard Tyler Herro, forward Jaime Jaquez Jr., guard Kasparas Jakucionis, center Kel’el Ware and a haul of draft capital to the Milwaukee Bucks to acquire Antetokounmpo and veteran forward Bobby Portis this summer.

Mitchell, who is a defensive-minded guard, envisions a Heat defense led by six-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection Bam Adebayo and a former NBA Defensive Player of the Year in Antetokounmpo that will be “really scary.”

“I think we have a defensive-minded team, which is really good,” Mitchell, 27, mentioned. “Because I think offense, we’ll learn. The chemistry is going to have to get there. And people expect our offense isn’t going to be like that. But we were the No. 1-ranked scoring offense last year without Giannis. So, you add Giannis, that’s like 10x. So, people don’t understand. I think a lot of people just look at numbers and what somebody shot here, what somebody shot here. And it’s like, when you play with different people, your game is going to change. You’re going to have different roles.

“Bam is going to get a lot of catch-and-shoots. I’m going to get a lot of catch-and-shoots. Everyone’s going to get a lot because of how much [Antetokounmpo] brings to the court and how much gravity he brings. So, I think the percentages are going to look better because we’re going to get more wide open shots instead of, like, we’ve got to create our shot. Throughout the game, obviously, you get open shots. But with him, there’s going to be so many open shots that people don’t understand that. But, they’ll see.”

Mitchell has adjusted his offseason workouts to prepare for those open catch-and-shoot opportunities created by Antetokounmpo’s drives to the basket.

“You kind of got to change your workouts a little bit in a way,” Mitchell said. “You got to try to master this role. And I know I’m going to get a lot of catch-and-shoots, so I’ve really been working on catch-and-shoots. But not just regular catch and shoots. Just a lot of off-rhythm. There are a lot of things I’m working on.”

As the Heat’s starting point guard, Mitchell averaged 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists and one steal per game while shooting 49% from the field and 39.5% from three-point range in his first full season with the team after being traded to Miami as part of the Jimmy Butler trade in February 2025.

Mitchell posted an excellent assist-to-turnover ratio of 4.2 this past season. Among the 179 players around the NBA who played in at least 65 games this regular season, Mitchell finished with the fourth-best assist-to-turnover ratio while serving as one of the engines of the Heat’s fast-paced offensive attack.

But Mitchell, who has earned the nickname “Off Night” for his ability to shut down the opponent’s top scorers, wasn’t satisfied with his play on defense end last season. So, he made it a priority to shed weight and get in better shape to return to his previous form.

“I’m getting in shape so I can become better defensively,” mentioned Mitchell, who will probably be on an expiring contract that can pay him $12.4 million this upcoming season. “I think I’ve lost a lot of pounds. Honestly, I don’t know how many. I just don’t ask, but I know I lost a lot, for sure.

“That was really the main goal, getting in shape, losing a lot of weight. And I’m doing a really good job of that. And the good thing is, it’s still not even close to the season. So I’ve got so much work to do, and that’s what I love about it.”

Mitchell’s slimmer physique has also led to him throwing down dunks during workouts this offseason, which he has made sure to post videos of on social media.

“Obviously, a lot of people see me on Twitter, I’m dunking real easy now,” the 6-foot Mitchell said with a smile. “Just trying to get back to that athleticism. I think I had a lot of muscle and a lot of weight on me, and it was kind of hard for me to move. I can still move, obviously, but now I think I’m just moving a lot faster, more fluid, and I feel more comfortable.”

Mitchell’s last in-game dunk came during the 2022-23 season as a member of the Sacramento Kings. Are more dunks coming for Mitchell this upcoming season?

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, 1000%,” he said. “I ain’t doing all this work for nothing.”