Miami Heat: 3 Players Who Exceeded Expectations in 2020-21

Miami Heat forward Trevor Ariza (8) separates center Dewayne Dedmon (21) and Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
Miami Heat forward Trevor Ariza (8) separates center Dewayne Dedmon (21) and Philadelphia 76ers center Dwight Howard(Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports)
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Miami Heat
Miami Heat guard Gabe Vincent (2) drives to the basket as Detroit Pistons guard Saben Lee (38) defends(Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)

3 Miami Heat Guys That Exceeded Expectations: Gabe Vincent

Though a role-guy with the Miami Heat, he has since hopped onto the Olympic scene with a bang. You saw that this past season though.

Gabe Vincent

Gabe Vincent was brought into the mix as a shooter. Though he never really re-found his stroke until the season was about to end this past year (and apparently into this Olympic season), he found new ways to contribute to his team.

After hunkering down and studying the defensive prowess of his former Miami Heat teammate, Avery Bradley, he was a new man. Coming down the stretch, Vincent provided major value as a defender on some of the best guards in the NBA, see…Trae Young.

If that doesn’t seem believable, he said himself. Here is what he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel earlier this year.

"Gabe Vincent says he’s been watching Avery Bradley video to hone his defensive instincts. “He was loving it,” Vincent said of his steals Sunday vs. Hawks."

That’s how he exceeded expectations. Though development was needed and still needs to occur, who can say they ever really saw defensive stopper being added to his profile?

No one. That’s how he landed here.