25-under-25: Tyler Herro at No. 25

Whether or not Tyler Herro is in the starting lineup, he’s proven essential to the Miami Heat’s present and future.

The murmur at the AmericanAirlines Arena was reserved for Tyler Herro and him alone.

During what was the longest rookie season in NBA history, there were moments — before the Finals, before every new shot was bigger than the last, before, even, The Snarl — when each of Herro’s twisting dribbles or off-balance shots would slowly build the expectation that something was going to happen, a chant-like hum abruptly ending with thousands of bated breaths, silent prayers that were answered with a disappointed groan or the heavenly strumming of nylon strings.

This was the Herro Rookie Experience, an unexpected wave that either carried you afloat or drowned you but surely satisfied your thirst for the unpredictable. His very selection in the 2019 NBA Draft was unforeseen, a short-armed prospect that might not adjust to the league’s level of physicality. That while he did not lack confidence, he was lacking in nearly everything else. The confidence is easy to see, manifesting as the cold that embraces clutch shots, or the cool that rocks a silk pashmina off the starboard bow.

Herro showed flashes throughout the first few months of his career, meshing with Jimmy Butler, first-time All-Star Bam Adebayo and Goran Dragic, often pairing with the Slovenian guard to provide some scoring punch off the bench. When Herro shared the floor with those more accomplished teammates in the waning seconds of tight games, he didn’t shrink under the pressure. After a string of strong fourth-quarter performances, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra loudly proclaimed that Herro “was built for these kind of moments.”

But that’s just the iceberg’s tip. Underneath the swagger is a deeper foundation that is far less flashy. Throughout the Miami Heat franchise, coaches, front office personnel and teammates rave about Herro’s work ethic, a commitment to improvement that belies his 20 years. It’s why he was on Miami’s radar in 2019; a team that has branded itself as the hardest-working in the NBA saw Herro as a natural fit.

And when the NBA season stopped in mid-March, Herro took advantage. He fought through an early bout with COVID-19, recovered and went back to work. While other players avoided basketball for months, Herro saw an opportunity. Andrew Moran, a local trainer that worked extensively with Herro throughout the hiatus, told me in an interview, “He puts a lot of time in. He wants to be in the gym. He wants to work. He wants to be great. That’s what separates a lot of people [I train].”

When the Heat resumed play in the Orlando bubble in August, Herro had been tapping into his potential, in effect showing the improvement young players make after an offseason or two. The work feeds the snarling confidence which grows with every new opportunity, a cycle of success that was clearly evident in Orlando. “He will be a multi-time All-Star,” says Moran succinctly.

What makes Tyler Herro such an intriguing young player?

There are blemishes, of course. Herro’s defense is not one of his strengths, often out of position at the point of attack as quicker or stronger opponents blow right by. Miami carved its way to the Finals with a switchblade roster, versatile defenders that could guard most players. Herro was often victimized in whatever lineup he was in.

Herro is capable of setting himself up perfectly, weaving his way through defenders with a slithery quickness and tight handle. But as a playmaker, Herro, too, needs to improve. It’s a role he’s never been expected to fill. If a bucket is what you need, a bucket he will get you. Still, as defenses find ways to limit him, the option of being able to incorporate his teammates effectively helps when that dribble is cut off or the wild fadeaway misses completely.

But Herro shows a self-awareness that is atypical of one who cannot yet legally consume alcoholic beverages. He knows where he has to improve and is dedicated to reaching that goal. He is motivated and driven. He, at least for now, accepts his role as a bench scorer, although there is a strong possibility that he could be starting for the Heat this season. Because while he makes mistakes and is, at this point, a one-dimensional scorer, it’s the wave of scoring that rises unexpectedly that makes Miami a more dangerous team.

Butler’s capacity for heroics are best reserved, at an injury-bogged 31 years of age, for the playoffs. Adebayo will likely improve as a scorer but his strength lies in doing everything well. Dragic, coming off injury and almost 35, can’t be your most consistent scoring threat if Miami wants to prove that their Finals run wasn’t the fluke so many think it was.

Herro’s tidal nature is Miami’s best bet. The team so famously devoted to the grind will live and die by that variance because the highs — like Herro’s 37-point explosion in the Eastern Conference Finals — make the team unpredictable and better.

For now, whether Herro starts or not, there’s enough veteran stability around him to offset that volatility. There’s the belief by many in the organization that Herro’s work ethic will eventually provide that balance, too.

In the interim, the Heat will ride the wave and provide the chorus that fans will be denied this season. In a mostly empty arena, there will at least be teammates and coaches to watch Herro and still hold their breath.