Justise Winslow returns to contact work after shoulder surgery

Justise Winslow’s long rehab is complete, according to reports, as the third-year Miami Heat forward is working in contact drills for the first time since shoulder surgery.

After a promising rookie year, Justise Winslow was expected to take a leap in his second season. Unfortunately, that was cut short by injury.

Winslow played 18 games with a wrist injury before undergoing shoulder surgery that sidelined him for the rest of the season. The Miami Heat went on to turn things around, while Winslow rehabbed.

It has been a long rehab, too. Winslow recently told Sports Illustrated’s Rohan Nadkarni earlier in July that he had yet to participate in contact drills as he continued to get back into playing condition. Several months after the initial surgery, that was somewhat surprising.

However, there’s good news. According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel’s Ira Winderman, Winslow returned to contact work this week, after his six-month rehab was completed.

"“Today I did some live work against some guys,” he said. “I actually fell a couple of times on the floor. But that’s all fine.”"

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Winslow needs to put in the work to improve his jump shot. He made just 20 percent of his 3-point attempts last season. The Heat brought in shooting consultant Rob Fodor last season in part to help Winslow develop that aspect of his game. However, any progress was cut short due to Winslow’s injuries.

He’s not limiting his work to improving his shooting. Winslow is also trying to become a better finisher and, as he told Sports Illustrated, be “a force of nature in transition.” However, if he can’t become a credible shooter from the perimeter, it will hinder Miami’s drive-and-kick offense.

Before the shoulder surgery, Winslow was playing through a nagging wrist injury. Those two things could be a reason why his 3-point shooting percentage dropped from 27.6 percent as a rookie to 20 percent in his second year.

Next: Winslow's season was derailed by injury and inconsistency

Winslow’s recovery, then, is promising, especially if it means that he can spend the rest of the off-season and training camp preparing for that leap he didn’t have a chance to make last year.