With the NBA Draft taking place on June 21, the Miami Heat will not be making a selection barring a trade. Previously, the team has made some solid choices in the draft particularly a shooting guard that wears number three on his chest. Which players selected by the Heat since their inaugural season began in 1988 have been their best (and worst) choices?
Here are a few things to know about these lists. The player must have been drafted by the team and not acquired in a draft-day trade. To be on the best selections list, they must have played at least three full seasons with the team.
To be on the worst selections list, they must have actually played for the team. Also, only first-round picks were considered for the worst.
(All stats and draft histories are taken from Basketball-Reference.com.)
To see the five best and worst draft picks by the Knicks since 1990, click here.
Best selections
- 5. Josh Richardson (2015 - 40th pick)
Richardson was nearly named to an All-Defensive Team this season, his third with the Heat. In 81 games, he averaged 12.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks while shooting 37.8 percent on threes.
- 4. Grant Long (1988 - 33rd pick)
A second-round pick, Long played in 472 games (375 starts) with the Heat. He played an important role during the club’s first few years and averaged 11.6 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in Miami.
- 3. Glen Rice (1989 - 4th pick)
Selected fourth overall out of Michigan, Rice played his first six seasons with the Heat. His Miami tenure consisted of 478 games with averages of 19.3 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals and connected on 38.6 percent of his three-point tries.
- 2. Rony Seikaly (1988 - 9th pick)
The first draft pick in franchise history, Seikaly spent his first six seasons with Miami.
He averaged a double-double (15.4 points, 10.4 rebounds) in his Heat career and in every season with the team after his rookie year.
- 1. Dwyane Wade (2003 - 5th pick)
It doesn’t get more obvious than this for the top choice. Wade has made 12 All-Star teams, won three championships, and scored 20,473 points in a Heat uniform. He won a scoring title in the 2008-09 season.
Back in 2016, ESPN ranked him as the fourth-best shooting guard of all-time.
Other notables: Kevin Edwards (1988 - 20th pick), Steve Smith (1991 - 5th pick), Matt Geiger (1992 - 42nd pick), Eddie House (2000 - 37th pick)
Worst selections
- 5. Khalid Reeves (1994 - 12th pick)
Reeves played just one season for the Heat before being involved in a blockbuster deal that involved him and Glen Rice going to the Hornets with Alonzo Mourning the main piece returning to Miami. His best season was his rookie year where he averaged 9.2 points and 4.3 assists.
- 4. Wayne Simien (2005 - 29th pick)
Simien’s rookie season saw him win a ring with Miami, but he played only seven minutes in the entire postseason. He played 43 regular season games in his first year, eight more the next, and that was all for his career.
- 3. Tim James (1999 - 25th pick)
James played in just four games in his rookie season with Miami (lone one with the team) and just 39 more for the rest of his career. He scored a grand total of 68 points in his career.
- 2. Michael Beasley (2008 - 2nd pick)
Beasley played his first two seasons with Miami, and then had another two-year stint later with the club. He was a solid-enough scorer with the team (12.3 points in 238 games) but at times was a defensive liability and never developed into the superstar he was expected to be.
- 1. Harold Miner (1993 - 12th pick)
When you have the nickname “Baby Jordan”, expectations will be high. Instead, Miner’s NBA career lasted just four seasons and 200 games played.
Other notables: Willie Burton (1990 - 9th pick), Charles Smith (1997 - 26th pick).