Though it didn’t help the Miami Heat get a victory on Saturday night, the opposing head coach was complimentary and downright honest about his feelings on how they go about fielding their rosters.
Speaking before a game in which his own Philadelphia 76ers and star big man, Joel Embiid, would proceed to punish the Miami Heat late in the second half to close the game, Doc Rivers made an interesting comment about the Miami Heat’s player development system.
Here it is, via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Doc Rivers on Omer Yurtseven, “I don’t know where they keep finding these guys from. It pisses me off.”
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) January 15, 2022
At least he’s honest, right? A hardy chuckle must follow hearing the sentiments from an opposing and well-established guy in the league like Doc Rivers, but then there is another thought.
The Miami Heat are among, if not the very best, at developing underappreciated talent. One opposing coach actually expressed, somewhat, playful envy.
This probably has to be a league-wide belief. When it comes to these feelings, it’s probably a group think situation more than it isn’t with other players, coaches, and executives around the NBA.
While speaking specifically towards Omer Yurtseven here, you could take a number of guys. Be that Max Strus, Duncan Robinson (though in a down year), Gabe Vincent, the re-emergence of Kyle Guy, who just found out he’ll be around a while, and a host of other guys over the years that the Miami Heat somehow found a way to get the best out of.
It’s no coincidence at this point. The Miami Heat are just very good at what they do when it comes to those guys that were either forgotten about, let go of too early after being given up on, or simply were unheralded and too under-scouted at their previous levels.
Dare it be said, that the Miami Heat are the absolute best organization at doing it in the NBA? Heck, if you look around pro sports, as a whole, does any organization have a greater rate of success at taking guys at the relative levels in which Miami does and getting said relative production out of them?
You may be hard-pressed to actually find one. Doc Rivers thinks so.
To a point of frustration even. Again and though it wasn’t enough to help secure a win against his team on Saturday night, you just love to see and hear it.