South Florida Sun-Sentinel Palm Beach (Sunday)
Nunn undrafted but also undeterred in his quest
WEST PALM BEACH — The bright spots during the Heat’s 2018-19 season were too few and far between.
A season that started with promise ended up riddled with disappointing results — especially at home — and injury woes for multiple rotational players.
But Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said one of the bright spots from last year came when the team signed Kendrick Nunn on the final day of the regular season.
“We were fortunate to get somebody of his quality,” Spoelstra said during his season-opening media session. “He also was a fit with us in terms of the culture, the work ethic, the drive.
“There’s a long lineage of non- drafted Miami Heat players who have come through our player development program, and he’s the next notable one.”
Nunn will have the chance to gain firsthand knowledge of what it’ll take for an undrafted player to stick in the league.
His teammate Udonis Haslem signed with the Heat in the summer of 2003 after going undrafted out of Florida in 2002. Haslem is going into his 17th season in the NBA, all of them with Miami.
Spoelstra called Nunn a “heck of a player” and said he excelled during training camp, which ended Saturday atKe is er University in West Palm Beach.
“He knows what this is all about,” Spoelstra said. “He went through a summer-league training camp, which really helped him.
“It’s not as if he’s trying to fast-track and keep his head above water. He’s out there like the rest of the veterans and he looks very comfortable.”
Nunn won four straight state titles at Neal F. Simeon Career Academy in Chicago. Spoelstra cited Nunn knowing how to win as something that’s important to the Heat and said the youngster isn’t intimidated by the expectations placed on him.
“I’ve been ready for this moment,” Nunn said. “I’ve been working hard and getting prepared for this moment.
“I think that kind of falls back on my demeanor a little bit. I’m a mature guy — you wouldn’t know it. I probably don’t speak as much, but I’m definitely more mature than my age.”
Nunn started his collegiate career with the University of Illinois before transferring to Oakland University, where he won the 2017-18 Horizon Player of the Year Award. After going undrafted in 2018, he played for the Santa Cruz Warriors of the G-League before signing with the Heat on April 10.
Nunn averaged team highs of 22 points and 5.2 assists in the Heat’s Summer League games in Sacramento and Las Vegas and was named to the AllMGM Resorts NBA Summer League first team.
“He’s a great player,” Goran Dragic said. “He can put the ball on the floor and create for others. He’s a really good shooter. He can shoot the ball well and he just needs to be patient, work hard, and I think he has a bright future.”
Jimmy Butler said he likes what Nunn bring to the table and was impressed by him during training camp.
“[He’s a] hard-nosed guy,” Butler said. “[He] can score the ball, can pass, can defend and he plays so damn hard, you got to respect it.
“He’s what the Heat are about, so he’s definitely going to be a big addition for us.”