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Miami Heat: 15 best draft picks in franchise history

By Bryan Toporek

MIAMI, FL - APRIL 21: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat brings the ball up the court in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena on April 21, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwyane Wade
MIAMI, FL - APRIL 21: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat brings the ball up the court in the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers during Game Four of Round One of the 2018 NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Arena on April 21, 2018 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Dwyane Wade /
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Kevin Edwards, Miami Heat
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Career stats with Miami: 357 GP, 12.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.4 BPG, 42.8 FG%, 27.5 3FG%, 79.8 FT%

Upon joining the NBA in 1988, the Heat and Charlotte Hornets had the opportunity to select players from other rosters in an expansion draft. Each of the NBA’s other 23 teams were able to protect eight players, but that wasn’t good enough for the Dallas Mavericks.

In exchange for getting the Heat to agree not to select Bill Wennington, Uwe Blab or Steve Alford, the Dallas Mavericks gave them the 20th overall pick in the 1988 draft. After Miami selecting Rony Seikaly at No. 9 overall with its first-ever pick, it then used Dallas’ No. 20 pick to grab Kevin Edwards.

During the Heat’s first year of existence, Edwards led them in scoring with 13.8 points per game on 42.5 percent shooting. Though he was undersized for a 2-guard at 6’3″, he started in 62 of his 79 games as a rookie and finished tied for second in minutes per game (29.7), trailing only starting floor general Rory Sparrow.

Edwards’ rookie season wound up being a high-water mark for his Miami tenure, as his minutes and production began to progressively dip over each of the next three seasons. Whereas he started 54 of his 78 games as a sophomore in 1989-90, averaging 12.0 points on 41.2 percent shooting, 3.6 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 28.3 minutes per game, he started only one of his 81 outings two years later while averaging 10.1 points on 45.4 percent shooting, 2.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 22.7 minutes per game.

Edwards never topped 30 minutes per night in any of his five seasons with the Heat, but he scored in double figures each year and was a superb on ball-defender. That’s none too shabby for a franchise’s second-ever draft pick.

Next: No. 6

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