Late last week, Justise Winslow made it clear that he’s dedicated to playing point guard over any other position for the Miami Heat this season.
According to Ramona Shelburne, who appeared on a recent episode of ESPN’s “The Jump,” the team was somewhat surprised by Winslow’s statement because it already considered Winslow to be a point guard.
“I checked in with the Heat on this and they were kind of surprised by the quote because in their eyes he kind of has been a point guard for the last year or two,” Shelburne said. “He hasn’t been called a point guard, but he has the ball in his hands a lot of the time when he is on the court. So he is already in that position, so it didn’t rankle them at all.”
Heading into the season, Winslow is primed to compete with veteran Goran Dragic for the starting point guard position. While Dragic has far more experience at the position, an even an All-Star game appearance, Winslow is seen as the player with more potential at this point in his career.
At just 23 years of age, Winslow made major strides last season when Dragic missed significant time due to injury. Winslow averaged 12.6 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game.
Beyond that, his combination of size and speed makes him a fantastic option at point guard in the era of position-less basketball.
So, it appears that both Winslow and the Heat are on the same page when it comes to what position he will play this season. Whether or not he is able to secure the starting point guard position remains to be seen.
