Pelle Larsson is Firmly in the Heat's Rotation with His Strong Play

The second-round pick out of Arizona has been a surprise for the Heat with his do-it-all skillset right out of the gate.

Nov 26, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Pelle Larsson (9) drives to the basket against Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) during the second quarter at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Following an impressive senior season at the University of Arizona, Pelle Larsson has made an impact early in his career for a hungry Miami Heat team.

Although Larsson did not put up huge numbers in college as you would expect from many NBA Draft picks (12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.9 steals per game his senior year), his versatility on both ends of the floor made him an attractive prospect as a potential role player in the NBA game. He showed his 3-and-D prowess at Arizona which was key in the team winning the Pac-12 championship and earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament.

The Heat and Coach Eric Spoelstra are typically known for having one of the toughest developmental processes for their rookies and younger players which usually results in a scarcity of playing time early on in players' careers. This has not been the case for Larsson as the rookie has played over 16 minutes a night in 13 games and has earned praise from many within the organization, including franchise-player Jimmy Butler:

It's going to be really hard for Coach Spo to get him off the floor, he reminds me of myself when I was younger in this league, probably able to shoot the ball better than me.

- Jimmy Butler

Larsson has been a do-it-all guy on both ends of the floor for the Heat. Offensively, he has spaced the floor with his shooting ability and timely cuts that punish defenses for giving players like Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro too much attention. He has also impressed with his secondary playmaking ability allowing him to see time with any combination of players on the floor.

Defensively, Larsson is able to switch onto smaller guards or bigger wings and has been effective at both. Coach Spoelstra loves his physical defense that is rare to find with rookies in today's game.

The Heat are 9-9 through their first 18 games sitting at sixth in a weak Eastern Conference. Larsson is averaging 8.2 points in 22 minutes per game in his last five games and will look to continue to build off his recent strong performances.

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