Could the Heat add another Kentucky prospect in the 2020 NBA Draft? A look at the options
It took until 2017 for the Miami Heat to draft its first player out of the University of Kentucky. Now, the question is: Will the Heat use its third consecutive first-round pick on a Kentucky prospect this year?
The Heat drafted its first player out of Kentucky with the No. 14 pick in 2017. That selection, All-Star center Bam Adebayo, worked out well.
Then the Heat tried its luck again with a Kentucky prospect, taking guard Tyler Herro at No. 13 in 2019. That pick also looks to be a very good one.
With the 20th pick in the Nov. 18 draft, the Heat could have a chance to select another first-round talent from Kentucky if guard Tyrese Maxey (6-3, 198) is still on the board. Maxey, who turned 20 on Nov. 4, averaged 14 points while shooting 42.7 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from three-point range and 83.3 percent from the foul line, 4.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists as a freshman at Kentucky last season.
“I think we respect what their staff does,” longtime Heat executive Chet Kammerer said to the Miami Herald when asked about the common thread between Kentucky draft prospects. “I think they are coached hard. I think they drill, they work those guys. Even with one year in that system, I think they improve. I think they’re already put in tough situations and they play great competition, and expectations are high. I think they’re in a system, you know they’re talented and yet they’ve been coached hard and well for a year.”
But Kammerer, who was the vice president of player personnel and led the Heat’s draft scouting team for many years before becoming a senior advisor to basketball operations in 2018, made clear: “Now let’s face it, not everybody who plays there ends up being a great NBA player. So it’s not like it’s a no-brainer. It still comes down to the individual. I think we were fortunate, at least our two [Adebayo and Herro] are really, really committed to the game and they play with an edge.”
Most mock drafts project Maxey to be taken ahead of the Heat’s pick, but still in that range. ESPN’s latest mock draft has Maxey going at No. 16 to the Portland Trail Blazers, The Ringer has the Orlando Magic drafting Maxey at No. 15 and NBADraft.net has Maxey being taken at No. 17 by the Minnesota Timberwolves, but The Athletic has Maxey dropping to the Heat at No. 20.
Maxey enters the draft with the scouting report of a versatile guard who can score around the basket and is expected to be a solid defender at the NBA level.
The big question regarding Maxey’s game has to do with his outside shooting, as he shot just below 30 percent on threes last season at Kentucky. But there’s some optimism that he’ll improve in that area, as he made an adjustment in his shooting form in recent months and has proven to be an efficient free-throw shooter.
“If you buy into Maxey being a secondary ball-handler who can shoot, this pick makes sense,” The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie wrote as part of his mock draft that has Maxey going to the Heat at No. 20. “Kendrick Nunn has not been reliable in the playoffs, and Goran Dragic is a free agent this year. Maxey is a tough kid with a terrific, powerful frame that looks like that of a free safety. He’s 6-foot-3 with a 6-foot-6 wingspan. That often fits in Miami. He also has a real personality to him and is thought to be a great kid and a tremendous worker. More than the non-basketball stuff, though, Maxey is a real threat as an on-ball scoring guard with great craft. He finishes well at the basket, has a terrific floater game and does a great job getting downhill to get into the paint. He’s also a strong on-ball defender.
“Ultimately, the big question here is the jumper and what level it gets to. Everyone around the industry is agreed that he is a better shooter than his 29 percent mark from three showed last year. But is he a 35 percent shooter? Does he have a chance to get up to 39 percent in the right circumstance? That number is going to tell the tale of how far Maxey goes in his career as a useful player.”
During a Pro Day workout in October that was televised live on ESPN2, Maxey’s refined shooting stroke was on display during drills. ESPN’s Jay Bilas projected Maxey as a lottery pick, well ahead of the Heat’s pick at 20, during the broadcast.
“I was able to show that I can knock down shots consistently from off the bounce, from deep, catch-and-shoot, off the move, and I was able to show my conditioning,” Maxey said on ESPN2 following the workout.
Kentucky coach John Calipari brought up Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray when discussing Maxey’s NBA future. Murray, who played for Calipari at Kentucky, was drafted with the No. 7 pick in 2016 and averaged 26.5 points on 50.5 percent shooting this past postseason.
“I said the same thing about Jamal Murray,” Calipari said to the Miami Herald. “He had a bunch of people pass on him. I said, ‘You’re all crazy.’ I’m going to tell the guys this about Tyrese Maxey this year. Like you’re going to have people pass on him and I’m going to say, ‘Tell me what you’re thinking here.’ He didn’t play in enough pick and rolls? Well, you put him in pick and rolls. He’s a basketball player. He’ll be fine.”
It’s unknown whether the Heat has used one of its 10 allowed visits with draft-eligible players on Maxey, but Calipari hopes Pat Riley and the Heat’s front office is interested in another Wildcat this year. If it’s not Maxey, Miami has also shown interest in Kentucky guards Immanuel Quickley and Ashton Hagans.
Quickley has interviewed twice with Miami, according to a source. Both Quickley and Hagans are projected to be drafted after the Heat’s pick at No. 20.
The Heat does not own a second-round pick in this year’s draft, but it could acquire one through a trade or by purchasing one.
“When you see all these players from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nerlens [Noel], when you’re talking Devin Booker and I can go down the line,” Calipari said. “How do you not give a Kentucky guy a second, third or fourth look? We have a couple that are going to be in the draft and available for Miami, I think. One or two will be there, and my hope is that they’ll look at them and give them a second and third look. It may not be Miami, they may be gone before then. But I would just hope that because of what Tyler, Bam, Jamal, Shai, Anthony [Davis], what they’ve proven and I can go back. You can go John Wall, DeMarcus [Cousins] and all those guys. But how about you get that second or third look.”
This story was originally published November 9, 2020 at 10:16 AM.
