The evolution of Rodney McGruder

How a D-League standout became one of the Miami Heat’s most reliable players.

In the third quarter of a back and forth contest with the Indiana Pacers, Paul George was whistled for a technical foul, his second, leading to his subsequent ejection.

George barked at referee Gary Zielinski after believing he was fouled by Rodney McGruder on a missed three-pointer, this coming just minutes after George and McGruder were issued double-technicals for shoving each other after a play.

The frustrated George was escorted to the locker room after being hounded and flustered by McGruder all night to the tune of just 10 points on 3-8 shooting, a decidedly underwhelming night from one of the league’s most formidable scorers.

“If you need me to be a pest, I will be for sure,” McGruder told the Palm Beach Post after the game, the Heat’s 16th win in their last 18.

A pest, he most certainly is. But how did we get here? How did Rodney McGruder, an undrafted guard out of Kansas State who has spent time in Hungary and D-League’s Sioux Falls Skyforce, become the most reliable and consistent player on one of the NBA’s hottest teams?

Back in December, head coach Erik Spoelstra said this league is “for competitors only, and that’s why Rodney is here.” Spoelstra praised the young guard’s “toughness and the willingness and want to compete every night,” adding that most nights find him matched up against the opponent’s best offensive player.

Spoelstra and many others have also referred to McGruder’s impact coming outside the confines of the box score, with his modest stat lines not nearly indicative of his performance.

But it didn’t start that way. The reality is McGruder’s season got off to a rocky start, thrust into the lineup due to key injuries to Dion Waiters, Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson. There would be struggle, including a six-turnover night against Boston on November 28.

Over the last two months, those struggles have been swapped for successes as McGruder has found his place in the Heat’s offensive system, all the while pestering the opponent’s most capable scorer (LeBron James, Carmelo Anthony, James Harden to name a few). Let’s start on the defensive side of the ball.

Defense

Easily McGruder’s strongest area, the lanky 6-foot-4 guard is a versatile and tenacious on-ball defender. A prototype for the way Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat like to defend. McGruder ranks fifth on the Heat in Defensive Win Shares and has marked steady improvements in his defense throughout the year.

Due to early injuries to the Heat’s backcourt, McGruder got his chance to prove himself early on in the season, tasked with chasing Kyle Korver around the floor on the night of his very first start against Atlanta.

A few weeks later, he went head-to-head with one of the most dynamic scorers in the league, Carmelo Anthony. He’d score a tough 35 on 27 shots, and had encouraging words for the pesky Heat guard after the game.

Later in Cleveland, LeBron James wisely took the smaller defender into the post but McGruder put up a fight to push him off the block and force challenging fadeaway jumpers. It took James 22 shots to score 27 points.

These early tests against some of the league’s biggest stars forged McGruder’s toughness and proved to many he had a true place in the league. And when the Heat found health and stability, they’d find wins in bunches including a stunning, dramatic upset of the mighty Golden State Warriors.

For his part, McGruder bothered Kevin Durant in the first half (Durant went just 1-of-8 from three-point range) and switched onto Steph Curry in the second half. With the Warriors up by four late in the third, McGruder impressively fought through a Zaza Pachulia screen to contest a Curry three, forcing a miss. A few minutes later, he responded again, harassing Curry with his length and preserving a small Heat lead.

In that game, capped by a thrilling Dion Waiters game-winner, McGruder played the entire third quarter. A few nights later in another win, this time against the Chicago Bulls, McGruder again played the entire third, stifling Jimmy Butler who went 0-for-5 with a turnover.

The Heat’s scoring margin in both of those quarters? Plus-16.

McGruder’s defensive impact extends beyond checking the league’s biggest names. On a lethargic night in Brooklyn in the midst of a winning streak, the Heat found themselves battling their low energy level in the second half. McGruder provided the spark, with the Heat then down eight points, forcing two steals in the third quarter that he converted into dunks. He’d tally four steals in that win.

Spoelstra and the Heat preach “winning plays,” their hallmark during the championship years. The likes of Shane Battier, Mario Chalmers, Ray Allen and Udonis Haslem propelled the Heat through the playoffs making plays that wouldn’t necessarily show up in a box score but would weigh heavily on the momentum of the game. McGruder is quickly joining the ranks of these past champions, starting on the defensive end.

Offense

The true, more measurable sign of McGruder’s development comes on the other side, as he steadily found his role in the Heat’s offense over the last few months.

The reality is none of the numbers will jump off the page, but there are a few areas of emphasis for the coaching staff that has benefitted McGruder. Most notably, the corner three.

A staple for the Heat’s offense this year (they generate the third-most corner three attempts in the league), McGruder went from an volume corner three-point shooter (10-for-28 in November) to an efficient producer (7-of-18 in February). 57% of his total three-point attempts come from the corner, a number you could see increase as his career progresses.

One of his strengths on the offensive end is the ability to sneak around the arc and spot up while Goran Dragic or Dion Waiters works their way into the lane, with McGruder averaging three catch-and-shoot three-point attempts per game in the month of February (up from 2.5 in January and 2.2 in December).

Moving closer to the basket, McGruder takes advantage of being the forgotten man in the Heat’s offense. When much of the opposing defense turns its attention to keeping Hassan Whiteside out of the paint or chasing Dragic, Waiters and James Johnson around, McGruder has found space for timely basket cuts and offensive rebounds. He ranks fourth on the Heat in offensive rebounding rate, with only frontcourt players in front of him.

You may remember key scores late on the road against Minnesota, including a basket cut that left him wide open in the lane while the defense swarmed Dragic. A simple pass and finish by McGruder put the Heat up by seven and in the clear for yet another win. With his newfound offensive savvy it’s no surprise McGruder’s shot attempts inside ten feet has nearly doubled in the month of February.

One has to think this is exactly the type of offense the Heat want McGruder playing—shooting three’s and working close to the basket. With his defensive acumen continuing to grow, an efficient offensive game will make him a permanent fixture in the Heat’s future plans.

McGruder’s development is certainly a highlight this year and something that’ll keep him in the organization’s plans as he shares the same mold of past Heat greats — namely Udonis Haslem — embodying the gritty, yeoman-like attitude that endears players to Spoelstra and Riley.

With the Heat potentially having upwards of $40 million in cap space this offseason, the names and faces are bound to change as Pat Riley looks to make a big splash and vault back into contention in a top-heavy Eastern Conference.

Next: Is Whiteside jeopardizing his Heat future?

Just like he beat out more veteran players like Beno Udrih and Briante Weber for the 15th and final roster spot on the Heat, McGruder won’t relinquish his playing time without a fight. No matter who Riley decides to sign this upcoming summer, McGruder will pester his way into the rotation.

James Johnson may have summed it up best following the Indiana win. “Paul George is a great player,” Johnson said. “Rodney McGruder don’t care.”