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Heat Select UK's Tyler Herro with No. 13 Pick

Heat Select UK's Tyler Herro with No. 13 Pick
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By The Associated Press
Jun. 20, 2019 | MIAMI
By The Associated Press Jun. 20, 2019 | 08:40 PM | MIAMI
Tyler Herro is already the answer to a trivia question. He's the first shooting guard that the Miami Heat drafted after Dwyane Wade retired.

The former Kentucky sharpshooter was the 13th overall pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night, going to a Heat team that will have a glaring hole in its backcourt now that Wade — considered the best player in franchise history — isn't around anymore. And while it's unrealistic to think that Herro can come close to filling Wade's role, he has certain gifts the Heat could not overlook.

Herro was a 36 percent shooter from 3-point range in his lone college season for the Wildcats, and went 87 for 93 from the foul line — A school-record 93.5 percent clip. He was picked as the SEC's newcomer of the year, and the Wildcats were 19-0 in games where he scored at least 15 points.

"It's a dream come true," Herro said in his onstage televised interview with ESPN. "I can't believe that I'm standing here with a Miami Heat hat on, walking across the stage. I mean, it's a true blessing."

Wade, watching the draft from a vacation, quickly chimed in with well-wishes.

"Ok Tyler Herro i hope you're ready to work. It's the MiamiHEAT way. Let's go!" Wade wrote on Twitter.

Herro will likely to get a chance for minutes right away, though it's been a decade since a Heat rookie averaged double figures in scoring over a full season. Michael Beasley averaged 13.9 points and Mario Chalmers averaged 10.0 in the 2008-09 season, and the only other two rookies to average at least that much for Miami in the last 20 seasons were Caron Butler (15.4 in 2002-03) and Wade (16.2 in 2003-04).

Herro was just the second pick the Heat made since choosing Josh Richardson 40th overall in 2015. The Heat had no picks in 2016, chose Kentucky's Bam Adebayo with the 14th pick in 2017 and made no selections again last year.

Herro hails from Whitnall High School in Greenfield, Wisconsin — a suburb of Milwaukee, a place with a population of about 35,000.

"Not too many kids make it from where I'm from," Herro said.

Herro would become the second No. 13 overall pick on next season's Heat roster, joining Kelly Olynyk — the 13th pick by Dallas in 2013. Other notable past 13th overall selections include Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Donovan Mitchell and Devin Booker.

"The journey's just starting," Herro said.

The Heat are coming off a 39-43 season, one where they missed the playoffs for the third time in the last five years. Miami hasn't missed the playoffs in consecutive seasons since 2001-02 and 2002-03 — the ones immediately preceding Wade's arrival in Miami. Wade retired at the end of this past season, ending a 16-year career after three championships and as the Heat all-time leader in many stat categories.

Miami isn't expected to be a major player in the free-agent market this summer because of a lack of cap space. Adding in about $3 million for Herro's rookie salary, the Heat will have roughly $133 million committed toward 11 players for the 2019-20 season.

Point guard Goran Dragic has exercised his $19.2 million option for next season, and center Hassan Whiteside plans to do the same on his $27.1 million option in the coming days. The Heat have until July 10 to decide whether they will guarantee the final $5.6 million of Ryan Anderson's $21.3 million salary, and are still waiting to get definitive word on whether Udonis Haslem plans to return for a 17th season.

Miami also has the 44th pick in this draft, acquired Wednesday in a trade with Atlanta.

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