Hernandez catching up at the combine

CHICAGO — Dewan Hernandez is making up for lost time. The NCAA’s treatment of his eligibility issues at the University of Miami left him with little choice.

So after being forced to sit out his entire junior season due to the NCAA’s corruption scandal that linked him to an agreement with an agent, Hernandez worked out for four teams in recent weeks, spent three days at the G League pre-draft combine earlier this week, and now a couple days scrimmaging at the NBA Draft Combine.

“This week has been very important,” the rangy 6-foot-11 forward said during a break between five-on-five scrimmaging. “These scouts haven’t seen me play in over a year, so I’m trying to go out here and showcase my best game.”

It actually is the second year that Hernandez has showcased his game, testing the pre-draft waters a year ago before returning for what he believed would be his third season with the Hurricanes.

“This year has been hard,” he said. “It started off hard. But I’m good now. I’m just over with the past. My goal going into the season was to get an invite to the combine. I’m here now, so all of that is behind me.”

That has him working in front some who scouted him a year ago.

“I think teams want to see that I’m a lot more consistent or into playing hard,” he said. “I’m a better shooter, better ballhandler, better defensively.”

So far there has not been contact from the Heat, but the Miami native and Norland High School product certainly would embrace any such overture.

“It would be an honor to stay at home and represent my city, where I was born and raised,” he said. “That doesn’t happen too many times. So it definitely would be an honor.”

Hernandez said he withdrew from UM for the spring semester, but continued to track the Hurricanes’ struggles that left them out of the postseason.

“Yeah, it was definitely hard to watch them lose games,” he said. “I felt like it was all my fault, not getting out there.”

All the while believing he would be back before season’s end in ‘Canes colors.

“It was very difficult, because I had the mindset, I had an attorney. He told me there’s no way they’re going to deny this appeal, or there’s no way they’re going to sit you out the whole year,” he said. “So my mindset going in was, ‘OK, I’m going to play this next game.’ And it kept getting denied. It was really tough.”

Regardless of the journey, at 22 he said he expected to take the dive into the draft process this June.

“At the beginning of the year, I felt like I was going to be ready after my junior year,” he said.

So now, it means getting back to the grind, playing for real, albeit this time playing for himself — and his future — a selection in either of the June 20 draft’s two rounds remaining a longshot.

“I’m just going to get in front of these guys and show them that my game has changed and that I’m a much better player,” he said. of

Interview update: As can often be the case, both Kevin Porter Jr. and Cam Reddish misspoke about Friday interviews with the Heat, with neither winding up with such a session.

Among those who did meet with the Heat was Tennessee forward Grant Williams, who is being advised through the process by Heat guard Josh Richardson, another Vols product.

In all, counting interviews at the G League portion of the combine, the Heat conducted roughly 35 interviews in Chicago this week.