Miami Heat: Rodney McGruder is set to have a season to remember

Miami Heat guard Rodney McGruder is back and better than ever.

Rodney McGruder isn’t a name that NBA fans toss around too frequently.

Heck, even Miami Heat supporters don’t spend too much time discussing the guard.

But it seems like that all may be about to change.

The 27-year-old had anything but a traditional path to the league.

After completing a four-year collegiate career at Kansas State, where he averaged 15.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 steals a game, in 33.5 minutes of play, he went undrafted in 2013.

Despite being a preseason All-Big 12 pick and getting named a top 30 finalist for Naismith College Player of the Year.

So, he headed overseas.

Although McGruder spent the summer of 2013 trying to get noticed in Summer League (first by way of the Orlando Magic and then the Charlotte Bobcats), it only amounted to getting signed and waived a month later, by the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Instead, the Maryland-native found success in Hungary, via Atomerőmű SE, where he averaged 14.4 points, 5.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists, in 29 contests.

Then, the very next summer, McGruder finally started gaining some traction, and made a name for himself in the G-League; he appeared in 26 games for the Maine Red Claws, before finding a more permanent home with the Heat’s affiliate team, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

Fast forward to July 2016, and he ultimately achieved his goal: Miami signed him to a three-year, partially guaranteed contract.

While McGruder averaged a mere 6.4 points, 3.3 rebounds and 1.6 assists per matchup, in 25.2 minutes of play in 2016-17, it was clear from the get-go that he was exactly the type of player who fits into the team’s culture.

He was as hard a worker as they come, soaked up knowledge like a sponge, and played gritty, scrappy basketball.

So of course both the organization and fans were excited to see what McGruder could do in his second year with the Heat.

Unfortunately however, on October 12, 2017, the guard was ruled out indefinitely with a stress fracture in his leg. And became just another name on the ball club’s lengthy injury list for that season.

McGruder saw time in just 18 games, really only making his mark on April 4, when he scored 14 points in 21 minutes in a win over the Atlanta Hawks, having shot 5-for-6 from the field, and 3-of-4 from downtown.

But now a new season is here.

And McGruder is ready to show the world what they’ve been missing out on.

"“I feel good, I do feel good,” said McGruder. “I’ve been working with our training staff and working with our coaches and stuff like that, to put me in a position to feel good, just taking care of my body and things like that.”"

It shows.

Miami may be 0-2 so far in preseason play, but plenty of positive revelations have come out of both matchups; one of which being that McGruder is set to have himself a year for the books.

On September 30, against the San Antonio Spurs, McGruder saw 31 minutes of action, a telling choice by head coach Erik Spoelstra.

"“I trust Rodney,” Spoelstra said regarding giving McGruder the start. “I trust his ability to make winning plays, to have a real attention to detail on both ends of the court. He tends to make the other four guys better. That’s a great compliment for a player.”"

He finished the afternoon with 15 points on 5-for-13 shooting, alongside one rebound and one assists; numbers that may not necessarily pop off a page, but show that the guard isn’t afraid to take chances on both ends of the floor.

He got even more down and dirty last night versus the Charlotte Hornets, totaling 12 points on 3-of-7 shooting, with three rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal.

And teammate Goran Dragic noticed.

"“He’s back. He’s a huge competitor. He always brings it.”"

What McGruder’s exact role on this current roster will be, is still up in the air, especially given Dion Waiters not yet being ready to return.

But whatever the case may be, fans better believe that No. 17 is up for the challenge.

Welcome back to Miami Heat Basketball, Rodney McGruder.