New York Knicks: 4 Lessons from the Miami Heat rebuild
By Allen Settle
Step #2: Draft from NCAA powerhouse schools
This is where the process becomes more difficult. The beauty in the Miami rebuild is the fact that the team went from missing the postseason to title contender without the benefit of cap space or top draft picks. That’s nearly unheard of.
Tyler Herro was the 13th overall pick in 2019. Breakout star Bam Adebayo was drafted 14th overall in 2017. Even Justice Winslow (10th overall) and Josh Richardson (40th overall) were lower picks that developed into valuable trade chips.
To say that drafting is an inexact science would be a massive understatement. If there were a secret formula for success, every team would be using it, religiously. However, there is a pattern in the way the Heat found value: they targeted players from major college universities.
There are countless examples of small schools producing superstar players. Steph Curry and Damian Lilliard come to mind most immediately. However, there is some benefit in building around collegiate stars from major university programs.
Players who lack all-world athleticism and skill do not find their way into key roles at schools like Kentucky, Duke, North Carolina, or Kansas. These players often have NBA-ready bodies that are capable of withstanding the difficulties of playing in the best basketball league on the planet.
The Knicks are already on their way to utilizing this strategy. The team’s most valuable asset, forward RJ Barrett, comes from Duke. The team also holds the eight overall pick in the upcoming draft. They would be wise to seriously consider drafting more big school talent as frequently as possible.