The Miami Heat got veteran performances out of their sharpshooting rookie, Tyler Herro. Here is his season grade, recap, and superlative for 2020.
The story starts right before last year’s NBA Draft. The Miami Heat were saddled with the 13th pick.
Many of us thought that they might go P.J. Washington from Kentucky. Washington was a rebounding and athletic big man, with an aptitude to hit the three, and a motor that just keeps on going.
He seemed like a perfect fit for the Miami Heat and beside Bam Adebayo. The Charlotte Hornets took him at 12.
Just like that, we all thought that the Miami Heat plans had been foiled, but they weren’t. It turns out, they had their eyes set on another guy the entire time.
For what it’s worth though, the Miami Heat still had their eye on a Kentucky Wildcat. It’s just that it wasn’t Washington, but Tyler Herro instead.
We all saw what he did in the NBA Summer League. It was here that we proclaimed that we wouldn’t trade him in a package for another player, as we had seen enough there to make us lean that way.
Many of us didn’t know what we had when the Miami Heat took Tyler Herro at 13 in last year’s draft. All of us should be aware now though… he’s a bucket.
As it turns out, Pat Riley and we were right. Tyler Herro blossomed into an impact player across the season, as he had been elevating constantly before an injury caused him to miss quite a few games before the coronavirus suspension was put into place.
That seemed like it was it. But then, it wasn’t. The NBA Bubble happened.
That’s where Tyler Herro really started to come on. In the Phoenix game, a few games before the Miami Heat would finish their bubble seeding games, Herro went toe to toe with one of his favorite players and the guy he patterned his game after.
Matching up score for score with another former Wildcat in Devin Booker, it was here where we really saw what he was capable of. That continued into the playoffs, as Herro continued to come out and shine, even carrying the Miami Heat to a much-needed playoff victory.
It is for these reasons, that this is Tyler Herro’s season grade.
A+
We couldn’t have asked for much more from the guy. He exceeded all expectations, while even showing us that he is more than just a shooter or a scorer.
The guy looks to be the future of the Miami Heat’s on-ball situation. Not only can he fill it up, but he can handle and create for others.
The guy is… as he says… a bucket. That actually segues right into his superlative.
Here it is.
Most Likely to hit a fall away dagger to send you home or beat you
The guy makes a living off of tough shots, tough finishes, and shooting off of tough platforms. He is on his way to stardom if he continues on his current trajectory.
As far as rookie seasons go, we won’t compare them outright, but his was comparable to that of the greatest player in Miami Heat history, Dwyane Wade. Those are just facts.
We can’t wait to see what his future holds, but this past season was a wonder to behold. For one of the last times, the Rook was a beast and we loved to see it!