Justise Winslow’s sophomore year got off to a rocky start, then crashed while on a team flight from Boston.
When Dwyane Wade left the Miami Heat for the Chicago Bulls last summer, the franchise’s weight, at least partly, shifted from his shoulders to those of Winslow, the No. 10 overall pick in 2015.
On the flight back to Miami after a January game against the Celtics, Winslow told coaches his shoulder was bothering him, according to the Associated Press. A few days later, he underwent surgery to repair a torn right labrum. He played only 18 games and would miss the rest of the season.
Winslow’s rehab took several months, during which for a significant portion he couldn’t shoot or participate in contact drills. Now back on the court and healthy, Winslow not only faces the challenge of reigniting his game, but also integrating into a unit that found so much success without him last season, winning 30 of its final 41 games.
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During the preseason, Winslow’s shooting struggles persisted, though he found some success initiating Miami’s offense in reserve units. Head coach Erik Spoelstra, still trying to best implement Winslow’s versatile skillset, played him at point guard, small forward and power forward at different points.
“Last year was a disappointment, but I feel like I’m back, better than ever, and I’m excited to get this season on the go,” Winslow said. He and the Heat hope 2017-18 is a bounce-back year.
The Step Back got a chance to catch up with Winslow over the phone, and ask him about his rehab, role with the team and goals this season.
This interview was edited and condensed for clarity.
You partnered with the sports nutrition brand MET-Rx as you were recovering from shoulder surgery last season. How did that factor in to your rehab?
Well missing the time out, I had a lot of time to reflect and think about the player I wanted to come back to be and part of that is I wanted to lean out, get lighter and lose some weight. I was fortunate enough that the opportunity came to partner with MET-Rx and it helped me to take my game to the next level. Working with [trainer] Travelle Gaines and the nutrition aspect of my game really paid off for me. Losing the weight, become lighter and more explosive, it all worked out.
You’ve been raising donations to help your hometown of Houston recover from Hurricane Harvey. How is that going?
It’s going great. Anything is better than zero. Some people donated their money, some people donated goods, other people helped putting their feet on the ground and donating their time. Unfortunately, it happened, but it says a lot about the people around the country the way we bounced back and supported the people of Houston. It was something I didn’t do for any type of media recognition, but it’s just where my heart is. It’s where I grew up, so I thought why not, I’ll try to give whatever I could back to my city.
How much was your shoulder and wrist bothering you last season before surgery?
My wrist is what bothered me a lot. I felt it every time I dribbled or shot the ball, but my shoulder just kind of happened. It was a one-time thing, and I had to get the surgery. My wrist bothered me a little bit more, but I was out there playing and when you’re out there, there is no excuse. So I don’t want to make an excuse but, you know, it was bothering me a little bit.
You’re healthy, but you’re joining a team that hit its stride while you were out last season. Is it difficult trying to fold back in to a team that had its groove going?
Yes and no. You want to go out there and play your game, so that’s all I can do. The coaching staff has done a good job of figuring out where I can fit but you want to go out there and play your game. You want to play confident and play aggressive, and that’s what I’ve done. So part of it is me, the other part of it is the coaching staff helping put me in a position to be successful with this unit.
You have teammates like Tyler Johnson and James Johnson who’ve said they prefer to come off the bench because it lets them see the game before they go in. You’ve done both. What’s the difference between starting and coming off the bench? Do you have a preference?
Like you said, when you come off the bench you can recognize the flow of the game, you see what the other team is doing to be successful. But when you’re starting, you’re the one doing that, you’re the one figuring it out, you’re setting the tone. So it’s two unique positions you can be in. I don’t know which one I prefer, but it’s just different. It’s just different perspectives on the game.
In the preseason, you had a lot of success as the lead facilitator. You seem more comfortable when the ball is in your hands versus when you’re off the ball. Why is that?
It’s nice to feel the leather and give the ball a little bit of your energy. I’m not one of those guys who can catch and go up, and be able to do that consistently like a Ray Allen or a Wayne Ellington. So just giving the ball energy, whether it’s dribbling it or passing it, that helps me out a lot. It helps me get in the flow of the game.
When you look at what other wings like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ben Simmons are doing as basically point guards of their teams, do you think you can do something similar?
It’s definitely a position I feel comfortable in. I remember in AAU we had a loaded team, a lot of D-1 guys, and the coach came to me and said this is what he wanted me to do, he said he wanted me to get out of comfort zone and play point guard on that team. So it’s an attribute that I can continue to build and transform for me, but it’s definitely something I’m comfortable in. It’s a situation I like, having the ball in my hands and being able to be a playmaker. It’s something I look forward to trying to do this year whether it’s like a backup point guard or more of a point forward type of deal. Just being able to make plays with the ball in my hands is something I’m trying to accomplish this year.
For the Heat it seems it’s going to be backup point guard by committee between guys like you, James Johnson, Tyler Johnson and Josh Richardson. Is that a strength, having that versatility?
Yeah we have a lot of guys that can get the job done from the point guard position, and we go through it in practice. Ultimately it makes us communicate more, and our team is at our best when we’re communicating defensively and offensively. I think from a ball-handling standpoint we have more than enough to get the job done at that position.
Who has better hair, you or Josh Richardson?
Ah, it’s definitely me. I’ve changed the game. I’ve done the dreads, I’ve done the braids, I’ve done the ‘fro. I think I’m a little bit more versatile than he is.
Have you done the braids during the regular season, though?
No, I have not done that, but it’s a long season so you never know.
I read that your favorite player is James Worthy. Do you see any similarities in your games?
Just the way he’s able to affect the game offensively and defensively. Even though he went to that school* he’s a great player. He had a great mind for the game. Obviously I like the goggles, so he had a little swag around him, too. He was also another one of those elite defenders.
*James Worthy played at the University of North Carolina. Winslow went to Duke.
Are there any current players who you model your game after or look up to?
I like Jimmy Butler and Kawhi [Leonard]. I like the progress that they made early on in their careers, coming in not the best shooters but were great defenders. That’s something I can relate to. Just seeing their progress and seeing how they transformed as players, they’re definitely two guys I look up to.
The third season is typically when a lot of NBA players will take a leap. What do you have to do to take that next step?
Obviously being able to knock down the perimeter shot would be a big game changer for me, but just getting back out there and being a great play maker for my team. Shooting high percentages around the basket, converting on more layups, I think will help out a lot. But like I said, knocking down the perimeter J, getting in the paint and making plays for my teammates, and ultimately just staying healthy. Last year was a disappointment, but I feel like I’m back, better than ever, and I’m excited to get this season on the go.
What do you think the Heat’s ceiling is for this season?
I’m not sure. We have a goal of trying to get home-court in the first round of the playoffs, and I think that’s a very realistic goal for this group. That comes with making the playoffs. Once you get into the playoffs things change. Game plans become more detailed, guys get more locked in. I’m just trying to help my team in any way I can to help us get home court in the first round.
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The Warriors and Cavaliers have dominated for the last several seasons. How does that impact the organization’s goals?
One thing I like about the Heat is they always prepare to win championships. Winning a championship is always the goal. Like I said, we want to get home court in the first round, but the goal is to win a championship. If we don’t, we don’t, but at least we know that that’s how we prepared and that was our mindset going into the season. I think that will help us out a lot. Just going into every game knowing that we prepared enough, and we put in the game plan to win. That’s all we can do is go out there, play confidently, play for each other, and try to win championships. That’s the kind of mindset and mentality that coach Spo and coach Riley have instilled in the whole organization, so that’s how we’re approaching the season.
For you individually, what does a successful season look like?
I want to be one of the guys on the All-Defensive team list. I want to be on one of those lists whether it’s the first team or second team. That’s the type of player I am, where I hang my hat is on the defensive end. I’d like to be making enough plays defensively—steals, blocks, contested shots, deflections—to be on that list because those guys have a lot of respect around the league. Especially the ones that are also able to produce offensively. For me, that’s a group I want to be a part of, and hopefully be a contender for Most Improved Player. Those are two goals that specifically I would love to accomplish this year.