McGruder for rookie honors?
Statistics not huge, but Spoelstra touts Haslem-like effort.
MIAMI — Heat coach Erik Spoelst r a i s n’t sure who should win the Rookie of the Year award, but he is sure that Rodney McGruder should be in the conversation for the honor.
76ers center Joel Embiid seems like the front-runner for the award, leading rookies in points (20.2), rebounds (7.8) and blocks (2.5) per game. But now the question is, should Embiid earn the honor after injuries limited him to 31 games this season?
“I don’t know,” Spoelstra said when asked. “I mean, he was fantastic in those 31 games — head and shoulders above all the rest in all of those games. It’s tough. But let’s get Rodney McGruder in some kind of conversation, for sure. What he’s done every single night, he merits the conversation.”
T h e n S p o e l s t r a p a i d McGruder a n e n o r mous compliment, one that’s hard to top when it comes from inside the Heat organization.
“Rodney brings that toughness and the identit y we have,” Spoelstra said. “How do we want to play? What’s our habits? What’s our identity? That guy. That’s what it is. What is UD in terms of his meaning on Miami Heat players and then culture. That’s him. Rodney is a 6-4 version of UD.”
Like 6-8 forward Udonis Haslem, McGruder went undrafted. Like Haslem, Mc G r u d e r p l a y e d o v e r - seas before breaking into the NBA. And like Haslem, McGruder i s making hi s name known on the defensive end of the court with his toughness and persistence.
B u t a s w i t h H a s l e m , McGruder’s stat line isn’t usually a fair representation of his contribution. That could hurt McGruder in the competition for the Rookie of the Year award and even affect his chances of earning a spot on one of the NBA’s All-Rookie teams.
“What he does, you can’t s e e i n s t at s , ” Heat point guard Goran Dragic said of McGruder. “Sometimes people they’re just looking at stats. But we know what he’s all about, what he means for this team. You know, I think the other coaches, they recognize this.”
McGruder is averaging 6.4 points on 41 percent shooting, 3.3 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game this season. Rookies like Embiid, 76ers teammate Dario Saric (11.6 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists entering Thurs- day), and the Bucks’ Malcolm Brogdon (9.9 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.0 assists) have better numbers.
But McGruder is making the Heat use him in a more consistent role than most other rookies.
McGruder began Wednesday ranked third among rookies in starts (47), 10th in games played (60) and fourth in minutes per game (25.7).
The o nly ro o k i e s wi t h more starts than McGruder this season were the Thunder ’s Domant a s S a boni s (11th overall pick in 2016 draft) and the Suns’ Marquese Chriss (eighth overall pick in draft).
“He’s really anchored — along with Goran and Has- san — he’s anchored that starting unit,” Spoelstra said of McGruder, referring also to point guard Dragic and center Hassan Whiteside. “He’s been the more consistent guy in that unit in terms of games played and being available every single day and what he brings.”
Now McGruder is hoping to make one of the NBA’s AllRookie teams like Haslem. Haslem was named to the All-Rookie Second Team for the 2003-04 season.
“T h a t ’ s a g o o d c o m - pa r i s o n, ” Dra g i c s a i d o f McGruder vs. Haslem. “He’s going to play so hard every night. Even when we don’t have a game, he’s going to play hard in practice and he’s a true definition of a warrior. I like that comparison. The smaller version of UD.”
Wh e n Mc G r u d e r w a s asked what came to mind when Spoelstra compared him with Haslem, he ran down a list of thoughts.
“I just think of Udonis, just flying around the floor on defense,” McGruder said. “Udonis making big shots, making plays for those teams in the Finals and playing great defense against Dirk (Nowitzki) in the Finals.
“I j ust t hi nk about al l the big plays that Udonis made and makes for the Heat. That’s what I think of, inspiring plays. Just the way he inspired the Big Three team. ... It’s an honor for coach to say that about me.”
And if the comparison sticks, McGruder might start referring to Haslem as “the 6-foot-8 version of Rodney.”
“I’m going to have to tease him and put that in his ear,” McGruder said with a laugh. “But that’s my guy. That’s my vet. I look up to him. Whenever I need advice, he’s there. He’s given me great advice and he’s a great mentor.”