In this week’s AllUCanHeat Roundtable, the staff shares their thoughts on the start of 2018-19 Miami Heat Basketball.
Obviously it’s early, but which Miami Heat player has already surprised you most this season?
Priscilla Elliott Morganfield (@BaeOfAllTrades): The most surprising Miami Heat player this season so far, for me, is Hassan Whiteside. His attitude towards the game and honing in on his craft has been amazing. You can see it in on and off the court. He’s more active and humble. He’s averaging a double-double in points and rebounds, and he’s actually fourth in the league in rebound averages as of Friday. That last part is actually not surprising, given what he’s capable of, but his attitude has really improved and it’s helping out the team in a tremendous way.
Jack Leniart (@Leniart_ND): Derrick Jones Jr. has surprised me early on. He got an opportunity to play some extended minutes due to injuries, and he’s made the most of it.I thought DJJ had potential, but I thought he had a fair amount of growing to do. In the first couple of games, he’s shown me that he can be a significant contributor and help this team wins games.
Chase Eyrich (@ceyrich): The easy answer here is probably Rodney McGruder. But, we have seen close to this type of performance from him before. It was just a question of how he would bounce back after his injury last season. For me, Whiteside has surprised me the most. Obviously we knew he was capable of a higher level of basketball, it was just seeing that effort all the time. He seems like a more motivated player this season, as we saw versus the Knicks.
Lauren Gewirtz (@laurengewirtz): McGruder has surprised me most so far. He has made a bigger impact on games than I expected, and is someone I will be watching closely going forward, given what we have seen from him so far.
Dario Ramos (@RamosHeat305): McGruder has suprised me the most. He was already known for his hustle and defensive prowess, but now he’s elevated his game to another level. His playmaking and scoring are much improved. I think he’s cemented himself a spot in the rotation, even when guys start coming back from injury.
Rich Nurse (@followthepen): McGruder has been the biggest surprise and most improved player four games into the season. Not only has his 3-point shooting (57 percent) and scoring (16.5 points per game) been at an all-time high, but so has his rebounds, steals and assists; he has definitely been the team’s brightest spot.
Rahmeaun Rahming (@Boneman9000): Say it with me now: McGruder. I’ve typed his name so much on Twitter and texts to friends, that even my phone fills in his last name after getting the first name in. The Scavenger has been making the most of his new role and anchoring both the team and the fanbase. I mean, we could be the Thunder (0-4) or the Rockets (1-4). Shots fired?