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 /

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13. Dan Marjele (1996-01)

Even though Dan Marjele had the best stretch of his career with the Phoenix Suns (the team he was drafted by), it’s fair to say that his time with the Miami Heat is somewhat overlooked. He was a largely underrated player for the Heat during the five seasons he spent with the team. Especially during his first season in Miami, during the 1996-97 season, in which he was a big part (along with Tim Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning) of Miami’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals. That was also the first Heat team to win a playoff series in their short history.

During that playoff run with the Heat, Marjele averaged eight points, four rebounds, and three assists on 34 percent shooting from 3-point range in nearly 30 minutes per game (mostly off the bench). From 1998-00, Marjele started every game he played in with the Heat. He’ll never get the true recognition he deserves for the time he spent in Miami, but he helped lay the foundation and winning culture for the success that the Heat enjoyed during the 2000s and 2010s.

Marjele returned to Phoenix during the 2001-02 season (via free agency) to conclude his career with the team that he began with.

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