Achiuwa taking ‘professional’ approach with evolving role. Also, Winslow on Heat reunion
Precious Achiuwa began the season as a fixture in the Miami Heat’s bench rotation, but his role has shrunk recently.
The Heat’s rookie center did not play despite being available in Tuesday’s win against the Cleveland Cavaliers at AmericanAirlines Arena. It marked Achiuwa’s second DNP-CD (did not play, coach’s decision) of the season.
Second-year center Chris Silva has even played ahead of Achiuwa (6-8, 225) in the Heat’s rotation recently, with Silva totaling 24 minutes to Achiuwa’s 20 minutes in the four games leading up to Wednesday night’s matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum.
What’s the lesson Achiuwa, 21, has learned during this recent stretch?
“Trusting your teammates, coaching staff and everybody around,” Achiuwa said in advance of Wednesday’s game against the Grizzlies. “Sometimes we play teams, and based on matchups or a guy might be having a good run and that dude — whoever that person is — needs to play more. It’s just the way it is.
“This is the pros. It’s a professional job and if someone is playing really good, we’re going to ride the guy and keep going to him as long as everything positive is going on. Whoever is not getting as much minutes as they thought they should be getting or whatever the case may be, should be ready. That’s part of being a professional. It’s not college. Nobody has time to worry about how you feel and all that kind of stuff. You just have to stay ready.”
In Tuesday’s win over the Cavaliers, second-year forward KZ Okpala was the player the Heat turned to instead of Achiuwa to complete its power rotation. Miami used a frontcourt rotation of Bam Adebayo, Kelly Olynyk, Andre Iguodala and Okpala against Cleveland.
Okpala, who started in place of an injured Adebayo in the previous four games, played off the bench with Adebayo returning from injury on Tuesday. At 6-8 and 215 pounds, Okpala allows the Heat to play more of a small-ball style than Achiuwa and Silva because of his ability to space the floor with his three-point shot and defensive versatility.
“It’s just about being a professional. That’s what it’s about,” Achiuwa said. “It’s a different level. I’m a professional now. I’m no longer in college, high school or whatever the case may be. I just gotta keep learning, dive into the film, invest in my game and find ways to add to my game and all that kind of stuff.”
Achiuwa, who was selected by the Heat with the 20th pick in the Nov. 18 draft, entered Wednesday averaging 5.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 13.4 minutes in 38 games (two starts) this season. He logged double-digit minutes in each of the Heat’s first 22 games, but he has only played double-digit minutes in eight of the 18 games since then.
“I’m a first-year player,” Achiuwa said. “I’m still learning the game and I also have to learn how to be a professional. How to carry myself, how to stay locked into the moment no matter what the situation is.”
The situation Wednesday is a little different than usual, with Achiuwa returning to play at FedExForum. That’s the same arena that he played his college home games at in his one year at the University of Memphis last season.
“I’ve been looking forward to this day for a really, really long time,” Achiuwa said of returning to Memphis. “I feel like this feeling of playing is going to be the same every time I come back. It’s not going to be a one-time thing. It’s not going to be where this time I’m more excited than the next time. I feel like every time I play in this arena, there’s just going to be a different type of feeling, a different type of excitement.”
A WINSLOW REUNION
Justise Winslow is expected to be available to play against his former team on Wednesday for the first time since the Heat traded him to the Grizzlies in February 2020.
Winslow, who was drafted by the Heat with the 10th overall pick in 2015, spent the first four-plus seasons of his NBA career with Miami. A back injury and then a hip displacement injury kept Winslow out for 13 months before he made his Grizzlies debut on Feb. 20.
In an interview with Grind City Media, the Grizzlies’ in-house media outlet, Winslow admitted that it was tough at times to watch the Heat’s playoff success as an outsider last season.
“Yeah, there was definitely some points of resentment, just feeling like I should have been a part of that run, or that I wanted to be in the Finals,” Winslow said. “But just getting over those natural emotions, putting those emotions aside, I was happy for those guys, knowing the work they put in and we put in. I wasn’t on that team at the time, but I felt like I was part of that journey. Helping Tyler [Herro] and Kendrick [Nunn] and what the Heat were trying to get done. I was happy for those guys, especially Bam [Adebayo], seeing him come in as a rookie and work his tail off to become a starter and an All-Star. Jimmy [Butler] as well. Kelly [Olynyk], too, all those guys, Goran [Dragic].
“I saw all the work they put in. Getting to the Finals isn’t easy. Some guys go their whole careers without making the playoffs, and most guys go their whole careers without making it to the Finals. So I was happy for those guys that they were able to do that.”
This story was originally published March 17, 2021 at 3:59 PM.
