Miami Heat: Kelly Olynyk is the team’s unsung hero

The Miami Heat found a winner in Kelly Olynyk, who so far has been rock steady for the team.

It’s safe to say not one member of Heat Nation saw the Kelly Olynyk signing coming last summer.

And more than that, few seemed thrilled upon hearing the announcement.

Whether it was because he was formerly a member of the Boston Celtics or due to the incident with Kevin Love, Miami Heat fans weren’t exactly celebrating the news.

Fast-forward a year later though, and nearly everyone is embracing the big man with open arms.

Still, Olynyk deserves more recognition than he got last season.

During his first run in South Florida, the Toronto-native averaged 11.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.7 assists a game, in 23.4 minutes of play; career-high numbers across the board. He shot 49.7 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from downtown, with a free throw percentage of 77.0.

Talk about starting things off on the right foot.

His success is about more than just raw numbers though. Olynyk was able to contribute to the team in an unparalleled way, first by way of bringing an entirely new set of skills to the table, and doing so consistently to boot.

From the minute he signed his four-year, $50 million contract, the 7-footer bought into The Culture. He got on board with president Pat Riley‘s plan of getting each of his players into world-class shape, and eagerly adopted head coach Erik Spoelstra’s strategy of positionless basketball.

Ultimately, he became leaner, which in turn allowed him to more effortlessly slide into different rotations, depending on what was missing on the floor at any given time.

Embodying all that is Miami Heat Basketball paved the way for Olynyk to do what he does best: a little bit of everything.

At first glance, it may seem like the 27-year-old should be nothing more than a traditional center. After all, his height matches that of teammate Hassan Whiteside, who is known for bullying his way through the paint on offense, and grabbing loose balls on the other end (alongside one-handed blocks, of course).

In other words, doing what is expected at the five spot.

But Olynyk’s talent doesn’t just stop at easy layups and rebounding. In fact, neither skill is really what he’s counted on for at all. Because while he obviously has the ability to get to the rim and gobble up balls on defense, the former Gonzaga stud is more a shooter than anything else; a reality that so many Heat fans have taken for granted.

His impressive performances didn’t just come in waves, either. He was rock steady for Miami last year, something that can’t exactly be said for many on the 2017-18 roster; only Goran Dragic seemed to be more reliable than Olynyk last season.

At the end of the day, there’s no question that the Heat struck gold when they signed Olynyk. The even better part being that the best is probably yet to come, if his first year with the team is any indication of how well he fits into Miami’s plans.

The Miami Heat’s 2017-18 campaign may have been highlighted by Dragic’s All-Star selection and Josh Richardson‘s growth, but Olynk’s success deserves a tremendous nod too.