Tyler Herro shows appreciation for Pat Riley’s support after winning 3-point contest

It was already going to be a great weekend for the Miami Heat’s Tyler Herro, who secured his first career All-Star nod. But he also represented the franchise by securing some hardware during the festivities.

On Saturday night, Herro put the entire association on notice as one of the league’s premier shooters by becoming the NBA’s Starry 3-point Contest Champion. 

After losing the event back during the 2022-23 campaign, the second time was the charm for the emerging Heat guard. He took down some stiff competition in the process, including the likes of Damian Lillard, Buddy Hield, and Cade Cunningham. 

Herro just snuck his way into the Finals of the contest as the last finalist after totaling a score of 19 during the first round. Hield exploded for a total of 31 in that opening period of the event but fell one point short of defeating Herro in the Finals. 

Ultimately, Herro rose to the occasion as the pressure was on, and deservedly came away as the Champion. It was a terrific night for all of Heat Nation, despite a 2024-25 season that has included struggles both on and off the court.

There was nobody more proud of Herro’s 3-point contest performance than Pat Riley.

Shortly after Herro secured the victory, Heat president Pat Riley was seen celebrating the success of his talented All-Star. 

Ironically, once being dangled in trade talks for Lillard years back, Herro slammed the door on the Milwaukee Bucks star’s run for a 3-point contest three-peat. And he did so in front of the man who had to live through those past trade rumors in Riley. 

During Miami’s 2024 end-of-season press conference, Jimmy Butler was not the only one who was challenged by Riley. He iterated the potential of Herro and his development but noted that the guard had been “fragile” during his Heat tenure thus far. The 25-year-old finished last season with playing in a career-low 42 games. 

How did Herro respond to those comments? It resulted in a breakout season just months afterward while appearing in 51 of the Heat’s first 53 games.

He earned his first All-Star honors, became the league’s 3-point champion, and is sporting career-highs in nearly every statistical category. He is on pace to become just the third player in franchise history to average 24 points, five rebounds, and five assists alongside Dwyane Wade and LeBron James. 

The brand is at an all-time high for Herro, and it could only be the beginning for Miami’s talented shooter.