Miami Heat Guard Tyler Herro Has Earned High Praises From His Teammate
Kyle Anderson believes Herro should win the Most Improved Player award
It’s no secret that the Miami Heat are having a rough season. However, one player who isn’t to blame is shooting guard Tyler Herro.
While many NBA pundits have Detroit Pistons’ point guard Cade Cunningham as the favorite to win the Most Improved Player award, Heat’s forward Kyle Anderson believes Herro should receive the prize.
“Cade Cunningham? Stop giving it to No. 1 and No. 2 picks,” Anderson told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinal. “They’re doing what they’re supposed to be doing. He’s (Herro) getting off the ball a lot earlier than when I first got here. He’s taken his game to another level this year. And it’s fun to watch. It’s super impressive.”
Herro is having arguably the best season of his career. However, it was a long journey to get to this point.
Herro had to earn his spot
After playing for a year at the University of Kentucky, Herro forwent his remaining three years to enter the 2019 NBA draft. With the 13th overall pick, the Heat selected Herro.
During Herro’s first year with the Heat, he averaged 13.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 2.2 assists. Despite impressive numbers, he played in only 55 of their 73 games, starting in just eight.
At the end of the condensed season, the Heat qualified for the playoffs and even reached the Finals, where they faced the Los Angeles Lakers. Herro averaged 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.7 assists in that playoff run. In Game 4 of the Finals, Herro scored 21 points and became one of six rookies to record 300 or more points during a single postseason run.
The hard work paid off later
Herro's 2021-22 season was incredible.
He averaged 20.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 4.0 assists throughout that season. His shot accuracy also improved that year as he shot a then-career-high 44.7% from the field and a career-high 39.9% from the 3-point line. His efforts helped him win the Sixth Man of the Year award, making him the first player in Heat history to achieve the award.
The awards didn’t stop there for Herro. On Oct. 2, the Heat re-signed him to a four-year, $130 million contract. The contract was worth it as he averaged 20.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists for the next two years.
Despite the off-court drama the Heat faced this season, Herro kept their engine running. He is averaging a career-high 23.9 points, 5.2 rebounds, and a career-high 5.5 assists. Though the Most Improved Player odds aren’t favoring Herro, he has put together an admirable season.
Cory Nelson is a contributor to The Lead. He attended Northern Virginia Community College. He can be reached at corymckenzienelson@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @CKenzyNelson, Instagram @ckenzynelson, and Threads @ckenzynelson