Heat's Tyler Herro Chasing Lionel Messi As Top Athlete In Miami

Shandel Richardson | Feb 28, 2025

Feb 26, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) drives past Atlanta Hawks forward Mouhamed Gueye (18) in the first half at Kaseya Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

NBA All-Star guard Tyler Herro has lived up to every expectation the Miami Heat had when they drafted him in 2019.

He has proven himself as a valuable commodity throughout his career. And now comes the recognition. Fox Sports recently listed Herro as the No. 2 athlete in Miami.

"Herro is having arguably the best season of his NBA career," the article stated. "When Butler was in and out of the rotation due to suspensions (and has since been traded), Herro stepped up for the Heat. Herro, who earned his first All-Star nod, is averaging a personal-best 24 points, 5.6 assists and 5.5 rebounds per game so far this season. The 2021-22 NBA Sixth Man of the Year has continually been able to score in isolation and drain shots from the perimeter; he's averaging 19.1 points per game for his career and posted 20-plus points per game in each of the past four seasons."

Herro has a long way to go to overtake the top spot. That belongs to global star Lionel Messi of Inter Miami CF. Heat center Bam Adebayo checked in at No. 5.

MITCHELL ON A ROLL

Despite lacking a flashy playstyle, Davion Mitchell is still highly effective in what the Heat want.

After losing Gabe Vincent to free agency in 2023, the Heat lacked an elite defensive point guard with a high offensive upside. Mitchell has solved this problem completely. Since being traded to the Heat from the Toronto Raptors, he has been their best perimeter defender.

Through seven games with the Heat, Mitchell averaged 10 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.1 steals on 55.1 percent shooting and 46.2 percent from three-point range. 

His three-point shooting is a significant reason for his tremendous impact on the Heat beyond his defensive capabilities. Against the Atlanta Hawks, Mitchell joined an elite company in the history of the Heat franchise. After LeBron James and Jimmy Butler, he became the most recent Heat player to record at least 20 points, five assists, and two steals on 85 percent shooting in a game.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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