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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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Grant Long, Miami Heat
(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Career stats with Miami: 472 GP, 11.6 PPG, 7.0 RPG, 2.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG, 47.8 FG%, 20.6 3FG%, 76.8 FT%

Before Udonis Haslem became a franchise fixture in the 2000s, Miami first had Grant Long to set the standard for power forwards in South Beach.

After selecting Rony Seikaly and Kevin Edwards in the first round of the 1988 draft, the Heat made Long their first-ever second-round pick at No. 33 that year. He went on to carve out a productive six-plus-season career in Miami, making him the seventh-longest-tenured player in franchise history.

As a rookie, Long ranked third on the team in both points (11.9) and rebounds (6.7) per game, but he led all Heat players in win shares (4.6) and ranked second in PER (13.7). The bruising 6’8″ big man particularly made his impact felt on defense, where he ranked second on the team in steals (1.5) and third in blocks (0.6) per game.

Long’s production dipped a bit over the following two seasons, but he bounced back with a career-best year in 1991-92. While starting all 82 games, he finished third on the team in points per game (14.8), second in rebounds (8.4), first in steals (1.7) and was tied with Willie Burton for second in blocks (0.5).

Long went on to play two more full seasons in Miami before the Heat traded him, Steve Smith and a second-round pick early in the 1994-95 campaign to the Atlanta Hawks for Kevin Willis and a 1996 first-round pick. On the all-time franchise leaderboard, he currently ranks third in steals (666), fifth in rebounds (3,281), 10th in points (5,473) and 12th in assists (1,002).

While Long never reached the stratospheric heights that Sherman Douglas did during his brief tenure in Miami, his longevity makes him the best second-rounder in Heat history to date. Josh Richardson is rapidly sneaking up on him, though.

Next: No. 3

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