Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem had some massive praise for rookie second-round pick Pelle Larsson, comparing him to three-time All-Star and two-time All-Defensive player Dan Majerle.
“I think he’s gonna be the ultimate Heat guy,” said Haslem. “I watched him take charges in practice. The way he competes on both ends of the floor, I see him being a Dan Majerle type guy for us.”
Majerle played for the Phoenix Suns, Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers over a 14-year NBA career. In the 1992-93 season, Majerle finished fifth in the voting for the Defensive Player of the Year award.
He wasn’t a major scorer (Majerle averaged just 11.4 points per game for his career), but he did have three seasons where he averaged over 16 points per game, and he finished top three in the league in Sixth Man of the Year voting on multiple occasions.
If Larsson, the No. 44 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, ends up having a long and productive career like Majerle, it would be a massive win for the Heat.
During Summer League, Larsson flashed some of his skill for the Heat, hitting a game-winning shot against the Memphis Grizzlies to win the title in Las Vegas.
Pelle Larsson game-winner 🔥 pic.twitter.com/MmFpaXqGMx
— Heat Nation (@HeatNationCom) July 23, 2024
Larsson finished that game with 16 points (7-for-9 shooting from the field, 1-for-2 from 3), three rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block. The Heat have struck gold in the draft before, and they’ve recently seen first-round picks Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic become integral parts of their rotation.
Haslem was an elite role player for Miami during his career, helping the franchise win multiple championships. He certainly knows what it takes to impact winning, and it appears that he feels Larsson could do the same for the Heat.
Larsson is entering the NBA after a strong senior season at the University of Arizona where he averaged 12.8 points, 4.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field and 42.6 percent from beyond the arc.
Even though the Heat are looking to compete for a title in the 2024-25 season, it’s possible that Larsson could earn a role as a rookie behind guards Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro in the rotation.
Miami has played several undrafted players before, so it wouldn’t be shocking to see Larsson – a second-round pick – work his way into Erik Spoelstra’s lineup if he makes winning plays.
The fact that Haslem is already praising the Heat rookie is a good sign for him going forward.
