The Miami Heat can find gems, diamonds in the rough, sleepers, or whatever you want to call them. One of them is waking everybody up at this point though.
The Miami Heat are a supremely talented organization. While they excel at getting the most of out the least, they are also magicians. They can take what others consider nothing and make it into something.
They have done it on countless occasions. This isn’t to say that the players in question here were “nothing”, but to say that either the rest of the league looked over them, disregarded them, or had thrown them on the trash pile as players.
Look no further than the seven-foot sensation out in Portland, Hassan Whiteside. A team undoubtedly led by All-Star Damian Lillard from an overall and especially an offensive perspective, from a total perspective of how defense and offense impact winning games though, Whiteside has arguably been their best player. Lillard scores more, but when you combine Whiteside’s defensive and offensive impact together, he probably effects winning more.
While that is one example, another vivid example we can look at is current Miami Heat sharpshooter, Duncan Robinson. Going undrafted out of Michigan in 2018, the former division III turned Division I turned undrafted Pro player is setting the league on fire with his jump shot.
We would even go as far as to argue that he is one of, if not thee, absolute best shooter in the league right now. Regardless of what we think though, others are recognizing his talent as well. Although not as flattering as others, Robinson was just named to ESPN‘s Zach Lowe’s “Luke Walton All-Stars”.
According to Lowe, this list was spawned from Walton’s bench success during his stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers after being moved from LA as sort of an afterthought. He and Shaun Livingston, a former Miami Heat player himself, developed such chemistry that they eventually had plays called for them. Here is what Walton had to say upon initially learning of the list.
"When someone first sent me the column, I assumed it was an insult: Why would there be a Luke Walton All-Stars?” Walton remembered. “But when it was explained to me, I liked it. I took pride in being a glue guy. I love this game. I feel like when it’s played a certain way, it can be fun for everyone, and teams have more success."
It was a badge of honor then, as it is today. With that being said though, let us introduce the newest member of the elite sort of elite club.
That would be one Duncan Robinson of the Miami Heat. Here’s something of interest that Lowe had to say on the Miami Heat’s premiere marksman.
"Robinson is firing more than eight 3s per game, and has hit almost 45%. Before this season, only three players had shot 40% or better on at least eight triples per game: Stephen Curry, Ray Allen, and Klay Thompson."
Those are quite the names to find yourself grouped with. This goes double when you consider the fact that this is Robinson’s first full-time season with the Miami Heat or in the league in general.
While surprising, the surprise has been a pleasant one. We can take pride in the fact that we aren’t the only ones shocked. The man himself still has to pinch himself at times. At least that’s the notion you get based on these comments from Robinson.
"I have moments where I’m like, ‘Whoa, this is happening,'” Robinson said. “Some of the numbers people show me — I have a hard time wrapping my head around it. I have learned not to expect anything, and I certainly didn’t expect this."
Shocking? Perhaps, but we don’t mind either way.
If he just keeps building up the accolades and knocking down tough jump shots from deep along the way, they’ll be a ton more of these moments to digest. We can’t wait until play begins again to continue watching the journey.