Ranking the 15 most underrated players in Miami Heat history

Jun 19 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (15)lays the ball up between Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Nick Collison (4) and James Harden (13) during the second half of game four in the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Larry W. Smith/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
Jun 19 2012; Miami, FL, USA; Miami Heat point guard Mario Chalmers (15)lays the ball up between Oklahoma City Thunder power forward Nick Collison (4) and James Harden (13) during the second half of game four in the 2012 NBA Finals at the American Airlines Arena. Miami won 104-98. Mandatory Credit: Larry W. Smith/Pool Photo via USA TODAY Sports
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2. Glen Rice (1989-95)

During the Miami Heat’s second NBA Draft in team history, they selected Glen Rice out of Michigan with the No. 4 overall pick. With a desperate need on the offensive end of the floor, Rice was believed to be a potential long-term answer for the team. After showing some signs of being a natural scorer of the basketball during his rookie season, Rice truly began to put it all together during his sophomore campaign.

In his third season, Rice led the Heat by averaging a team-high 22 points and five rebounds per game on 39 percent shooting from 3-point range. Over the course of his next three seasons with the Heat, Rice would continue to be a scoring machine while also emerging as one of the better 3-point shooters in the league.

Just before the start of the 1995-96 season, Pat Riley traded Rice to the Charlotte Hornets as the centerpiece of a package for Alonzo Mourning. Because of how good Mourning was for the Heat and how important of a role he still plays in the front office, it’s often forgotten just how electric and talented Rice was as a player for Miami.