The 5 best draft picks in Miami Heat history

5. Steve Smith (SG) – No. 5 pick in 1991 NBA Draft

Career stats (with the Heat): 202 GP, 14.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, 3.8 RPG, 1.0 SPG, 2.4 TOV, 45.1 FG%, 34.6 3P%, 80.2 FT%

Although listed as a shooting guard, Smith was the prototypical combo guard at both ends of the court. At 6-foot-7, and with innate ball-handling and passing ability, Smith presented the all-round package befitting a player taken at No. 5 overall.

Smith improved notably over his three full season’s with the Heat, as the team reached the playoffs in two of his three season’s in Miami. The numbers he posted in his last full season with the Heat were very impressive – 17.3 points, 5.1 assists and 4.5 rebounds in 33.3 minutes per

Almost inexplicably, at the commencement of Smith’s fourth season with the Heat, he was traded along with forward Grant Long to the Atlanta Hawks for power forward/center Kevin Willis. Although Willis was coming off a season averaging 19.1 points and 12.0 rebounds per game, he was 32 and has just a small window left in terms of performing at his best.

It was no surprise that the following offseason, the Heat brought in Riley to shore up the front office to avoid such future lopsided transactions. To make matters worse, Smith wound up being named an All-Star in 1998, and was a member of the 2003 NBA Champion San Antonio Spurs. Furthermore, he was a member of the USA Basketball team which secured the gold medal at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.