Though Miami Heat star Tyler Herro is disappointed in where the team is at entering the All-Star break, he will be celebrating this weekend in San Francisco. With the Heat guard being a first-time All-Star, he will look to not only celebrate his accomplishments but also reflect on his career and where he stands today.
Herro will not only be a reserve for the All-Star game events but also a member of the three-point competition as part of the festivities. Amid his best season, Herro would say that he feels “wanted” by Miami and looks to continue to prove himself every day according to Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald.
“I feel good. I feel like I’m wanted,” Herro said. “They want me here. But [expletive] can change if I’m not doing my job and doing what I’m capable of, and staying healthy. At the end of the day, it’s good for now. But at the end of the day, it’s a process for me that never stops. I feel like it’s something you got to continue to do every single day — prove to the city, the organization, the front office why I deserve to be here.”
Heat's Tyler Herro on what's changed this season for himself
It was no doubt an emotional moment for Herro when announced as an All-Star as he's having a career season leading the Heat with 23.9 points and 5.5 assists per game to go along with 5.5 rebounds while shooting 46.5 percent from the field. From three-point range, he's shooting 38 percent while ranking fourth in the NBA in shots made from deep with 189 as he spoke about what he's looking forward to doing over the weekend.
“Just spending it with my family, getting a break,” Herro said. “Just seeing all my people there and being able to experience it with them.”
Besides the production on the field into a consistent player for Miami, he also has stayed relatively healthy after Herro was called “fragile a little bit” by team president Pat Riley last May after playing 42 games last season. He used that as fuel to bulk up and it's resulted in only missing two games as he cited health as being one of the reasons why this season has been different than the ones in the past.
“I would say staying healthy and just my mindset,” Herro said. “Being free in the mind, being clear, at peace, happy. So I’m OK with the results. The results just ended up being how I wanted them.”
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Heat's Tyler Herro looks back on viral 2021 quote
As the Heat look to turn their season around after the All-Star break, Herro has now etched his name with the best of them, even though there was some poking fun at his comments from a viral 2021 clip. In an interview with Jeremy Tache, he would say he's “in the same conversation” as such players as Luka Doncic, Trae Young, and Ja Morant, a quote that was no doubt ostracized by the public.
“I feel like I’m in the same conversation as those guys,” Herro said. “The young guys coming up in the league who can be All-Stars, superstars one day—Luka, Trae, Ja—those guys like that, I feel like my name should be in that category, too.”
Looking back in the present time, it's more arguable than ever, but there is no doubt that Herro has proven his name is worth mentioning in terms of stars in this league. Herro doesn't regret what he said and still believes in himself and his traits, but acknowledges that there is still “more to prove.”
“I believed it then. So I’m sure y’all know how I feel about it now,” Herro said. “Yeah, I feel great about myself and my abilities to compete in this league with anybody in the league, literally anybody. I feel like that, for real. I think later down the road, now people kind of see what I was saying. But some people haven’t really seen it. So I just got to keep going.”
Miami is 25-28 which puts them ninth in the Eastern Conference as when they come back from break, they will face the Toronto Raptors on Feb. 21.
