MIAMI — For most of the Miami Heat’s 36 seasons, going off script at the NBA draft raised eyebrows, including the first-round addition of supposed Estonian wunderkind Martin Muursepp in Pat Riley’s first Heat draft in 1996 and the drafting of untested prep prospect Dorell Wright in the 2004 first round.
That was then.
Next week, a selection of a player other than a 2023-24 collegian stands well within the realm of possibilities for the team’s front office.
Among those who potentially could fall in the Heat’s range with their No. 15 selection in Wednesday night’s first round at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center are French forwards Tidjane Salaun and Pacome Dadiet, Serbian guard Nikola Topić, G League guard Ron Holland and G League forward Tyler Smith, as well as other international prospects.
For nearly two decades, until the 2022 draft, the Heat either had shied from going outside of the box on draft nights, or did it as a means of moving toward a domestic solution, such as drafting current New York Knicks forward Bojan Bogdanovic in 2009 only to immediately turn around and trade him to the Minnesota Timberwolves for that night’s draft rights to Cleveland State guard Norris Cole.
But two years ago, amid a slide by Serbian forward Nikola Jovic, the Heat took a stand at No. 27, added the raw 19-year-old, and eventually moved him into the rotation for this past season’s playoff run.
Now there again is the possibility of international intrigue or perhaps even a move toward someone beyond the college realm, as the Heat did with Wright in 2004.
Left to decipher such potential riddles is Adam Simon, the Heat’s vice president of basketball operations and assistant general manager, who oversees the team’s draft.
“I think now you have enough years of doing this, where you can kind of put a scale on it,” Simon said this week of potentially moving beyond those who were featured in the NCAA. “But at the same time, you’re looking at age, you’re looking at their physical abilities, and you’re looking at their path, and you factor all of that in.”
With college prospects, there is ample video, as well as ample opportunity to scout in person, as well as take measure of moments such as the NCAA Tournament. With internationals and G League prospects? A completely different vista.
“It is not apples to apples,” Simon said. “It is as much of a tropical fruit salad of different players that you can possibly think of. They all come from different places. That is the challenge.”
With Muursepp, it was a rough go for former Heat draft guru Chris Wallace.
After the Heat’s lone video display on draft night of the Estonian big man was a repeated loop of a single play, Muursepp’s Heat career lasted all of 29 minutes over 10 games. Worse, the Heat would learn of contractual issues with Israeli powerhouse Maccabi Tel Aviv, with the Heat playing an exhibition in Israel as compensation.
Now, Simon said, the Heat work years in advance such draft-night considerations, whether it is an overseas prospect or those who arrive without a college resume.
“It’s part of leading up,” he said. “It’s not going to be at the moment of truth. But, certainly, that’s why we go to the under-17s. That’s why we go to the under-19 world championships, we see the 18-and-under European championships. That’s why we go to the camps in the summer that are run by the NBA players, and by shoe companies. That’s why we go to the Hoops Summit, we go to the McDonalds, we got to different competitions to be able to gather as much as we can, and we evaluate at different places.”
Including all the way down, Simon said, to France’s second division.
“It’s the players that are not at the top level, but are younger,” he said. “They play before the main teams play in the French league.”
So, no, not apples to apples. More like croissants to apple pie.
“They always talk about, ‘What if this player played in the ACC or vice versa?’ ” Simon said. “And that’s the challenge of what we do. And it’s not an easy comparison.”
But one necessary to avoid the Muursepps and instead wind up with a Jovic.
“They all come from different places,” Simon said of draft-night prospects. “That is the challenge.”
Non-collegians drafted by Heat
Players drafted by the Heat who did not arrive directly from a college program:
1996: Martin Muursepp, No. 25, Estonia
2004: Dorell Wright, No. 19, South Kent Prep
2004: Albert Miralles, No. 39, Spain*
2009, Patrick Beverley, No. 24, Ukraine
2010: Latavious Williams, No. 48, G League*
2011: Bojan Bogdanovic, No. 32, Croatia*
2022: Nikola Jovic, No. 27, Serbia
* – Immediately dealt or unsigned after draft selection.
