Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro showed in this year’s preseason that he has taken his game to the next level after leading all players in most points scored.
Teammate Jimmy Butler wants to see Herro continue to be aggressive in the regular season.
“We all know how talented T is,” said Butler. “Half of his battle is in his own head. Don’t nobody care about what anybody else is saying, ‘We love you for who you are. We want you to be as aggressive as you can, and come out there and do what you do.’ We support him in every single way.
“I think he’s got the most important people in his corner, damn sure all of his teammates. We want him to carry his momentum, his energy into the regular season.”
Butler also explained why Herro has been able to further improve as a player.
“It’s always confidence with that kid,” Butler said. “I think he’s growing into who he’s going to be in this league. I think we’re all proud of him, especially me. He’s having fun while he’s doing it.
“I think he has now realized that basketball isn’t the most important thing in his life, but he loves it to death. Now he has a why, if I’ve ever seen him have one.”
Since getting drafted by the Heat in 2019, Herro has repeatedly turned heads because of his confidence and skills. He played a huge role in the team’s run to the NBA Finals during his rookie season, averaging 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game in his first postseason.
However, in the 2021 playoffs, the University of Kentucky product was unable to repeat his inspiring performance from the previous year. The Heat lost to the Milwaukee Bucks in four games in the first round.
This coming season, Herro looks like he is ready to give the team a lift once more and prove doubters wrong. He also celebrated the birth of his first child last month, which has likely contributed to his change in perspective.