The Miami Heat have been one of the most undercovered teams in the NBA over the past decade, despite making two NBA Finals in that span.
While South Florida is known for being a prickly sports market given its expansive geography and reputation for fair-weather fandom, the lack of Heat coverage from ESPN and The Athletic was notable. During LeBron James’ tenure in Miami, the Worldwide Leader had an entire “Heat Index” vertical dedicated to the team, with three full-time reporters publishing articles multiple times a day, alongside regular television and radio hits across the network. The Athletic briefly employed a Heat beat reporter, Shandel Richardson, but had not filled the opening since being purchased by the New York Times.
That all changed this week, as longtime Milwaukee Bucks reporter Eric Nehm announced he will follow Giannis Antetokounmpo to South Beach.
Personal update: After getting the opportunity to cover the Milwaukee Bucks for the last decade, I am moving to Miami for a new role covering the Miami Heat at @TheAthletic.
Leaving Milwaukee is going to be incredibly difficult, but I am excited for the new opportunity. pic.twitter.com/gvD4s9IoBB
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) September 8, 2026
Nehm was a standout on the Bucks beat, having covered the team for the entirety of Antetokounmpo’s career. As the “Greek Freak” made Milwaukee into a national NBA story, Nehm frequently broke news around the team through multiple MVP seasons and a championship run in 2021.
The Heat traded for Antetokounmpo over the summer after several years in which the future Hall of Famer openly considered a trade request. Miami will add Antetokounmpo to a roster refurbished since its last Finals appearance in 2023 but which still includes All-Star stalwart Bam Adebayo.
The Athletic does not employ a beat reporter for each NBA, MLB or Power 5 college sports team. Under NYT Co. ownership, the company has staffed up more with national reporters and columnists; some beat reporters now cover multiple pro teams in one market or several teams from one league within a region.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is an Editorial Lead at Awful Announcing overseeing digital content and special projects. He lives in Phoenix and has covered sports media for Awful Announcing since 2023.