Yante Maten and Duncan Robinson have shared a lot over past year. Now they share same goal
Yante Maten and Duncan Robinson have shared a lot of things over the past year.
They both had to compete for an NBA job after going undrafted in 2018. They both lived the grueling day-to-day life of a two-way contract player. And they both had their two-way deals converted to standard NBA contracts by the Heat in the final days of the regular season.
Maten, 22, and Robinson, 25, also shared a two-bedroom apartment in Sioux Falls, S.D.
While spending most of this past season playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the Heat’s G League affiliate, Maten and Robinson decided to become roommates. That decision worked out on and off the court, as both turned in standout seasons with the Skyforce and now enter their second summer-league stint with the Heat as close friends.
“I think we became friends pretty quick, especially knowing that we were about to be going through this journey together for a pretty long time,” Maten said in advance of Monday night’s summer-league opener against the Lakers as part of the California Classic in Sacramento’s Golden 1 Center.
“It’s been real cool just being able to be friends with him. We hopped on Fortnite a couple times, and that created some bonds too. Trying to be leaders on our team in Sioux Falls. So we just talked a lot about not just basketball, but about life in general. He’s like a brother to me now.”
But like most roommates, they had to learn how to live together.
“I’m the messy one,” admitted Maten, who averaged 23.5 points on 53.9 percent shooting from the field and 9.6 rebounds for the Skyforce this past season. “I’m messy for like a day, then I clean it up and then it gets messy again. I’m that type of person, so I’m constantly cleaning. Duncan probably keeps his space nice and tidy for the most part.”
Robinson, who averaged 21.4 points on 51.4 percent shooting from the field and 48.3 percent shooting on threes, 4.3 rebounds and three assists in 33 games for the Skyforce this past season, confirmed Maten’s statement with a grin: “I’m clean with my stuff. So as long as his stuff wasn’t getting in the way of my stuff, then we’re good. I just let Yante do his thing. But we got along, man. He’s grown a lot in that regard. Early on, he was really messy and he started to get a little bit cleaner, which definitely helped the dynamic.”
This summer, they share the same goal as players on partially guaranteed contracts: prove they can serve as reliable NBA defenders to make the Heat’s 15-man roster.
“Defense,” Heat summer league head coach Eric Glass said matter-of-factly when asked what he wants to see from Robinson and Maten over the next few weeks. “They’ve got to prove they can defend at an NBA level and that they can be reliable at that end. They’ve taken great strides this summer and now it’s time to prove it.”
Maten and Robinson have worked on their bodies to put themselves in position to show they’re improved defenders this summer. Both are forwards, but their skill sets are different.
Robinson, sweet-shooting 6-8 forward, has focused on adding weight over the past year to become a more sturdy defender against bigger players. He’s added 14 pounds since last summer and is now at 210.
“Duncan has bulked up and he looks like a Greek god with his shirt off,” Glass said. “I think the extra weight will help him bang against some of the bigger guys. We really want to see him rebound and get on the boards and get his hands dirty. That will help him there, too.”
The 6-8 Maten scores most of his points inside the three-point line. His focus has been on shedding weight to become more mobile, as he’s cut about 3 percent body fat and 10 pounds since last summer.
As roommates in Sioux Falls, both were on very different meal plans.
“It’s funny because I was like, ‘Bro, why is it the exact opposite thing going on here?’” Maten said. “Because we’re both similar size, just about, but our games are completely different. So it’s just real funny, we’re like opposites but we’re the same at the same time. It was real funny because I was talking to him, ‘It would be awesome if I had your body,’ and he was like, ‘It would be awesome if I had yours.’ If only we could merge and get the perfect thing like a Power Ranger or something.”
While Maten and Robinson can’t become Power Rangers, they’ve helped each other in a lot of other ways over the past year.
“I love seeing him have success, whether that be with the G League or in the NBA,” Robinson said of Maten. “When he got opportunities and got called up, I was the first one to text him and encourage him and it was the same the other way around. It was pretty cool to have that guy just always in your ear encouraging, supporting. I hope I was that guy for him, as well.”
