If this year’s class of NBA rookies were supposed to put on a boring show once Zion Williamson went down with a knee injury, no one told Tyler Herro. Instead, through twenty-eight games, the Miami Heat’s rookie has exploded through the Zion-sized hole and put on a show.

It’s not so much the numbers he puts up—though those are pretty stellar at 14 points per game on 42 percent shooting. It's the way he plays: executing dribble drives and smooth stepbacks that’ll have you finding yourself two hours in the future, bleary-eyed and deep in a highlight vortex. And then there’s also, of course, the things he does on the court that don’t involve the ball, like boldly telling an opponent, “I’m a bucket.”

The 19-year-old from Milwaukee exudes a confidence that vibrates off each item on his ever-expanding hit list: his draft suit; the recent overtime win in which he scored (in icy fashion) 16 of the Heat’s final 18 points; his friendship with infamously demanding teammate Jimmy Butler. Naturally, we had to ask where all that swag comes from. So we did, along with everything else, too: making the transition to the NBA, beating Butler to practice (and having to pick up his lunch), and eating the same pregame meal since high school.

GQ: Do you remember when you first started playing ball?

Tyler Herro: Probably like four or five at the YMCA. I played in a little league with small courts and small hoops. It was pretty fun, I guess.

When did you know you could shoot?

Seventh grade is when I met my shooting coach and he fixed my shot. I used to shoot with two hands. Really ever since is when my I started to shoot real well.

I saw the video of you handing that kid your wristband, and him completely losing his shit. What happened there?

When I warmed up, I had seen him there really early. He had my college jersey on and once the game started, he was going crazy. I didn't have time to stop and sign his jersey so I just threw him my wristband.

How did you see that video?

I seen it on social media somewhere. I didn't think I could impact someone's life like that. He DM'd me on Instagram and I ended up following him, and sending him a jersey.

I’ve got to ask you about that draft suit. How did you decide to wear that?

I figured I could only do one NBA draft, so I was like, “Well, might as well stand out, and try to leave a mark on it.” I had a designer in L.A. who helped me pick it out. I wanted to do more of like a white floral thing, but she said I would look better in the black.

What feedback did you get from your mom and your friends?

They all liked it, they said. [laughs] They definitely liked it.

Do you think they'd tell you if they didn't like it?

I was just going to say that they probably wouldn't tell me if they didn't like it. [laughs]

Were you always into style and fashion growing up?

Definitely. I always looked up to LeBron, how he came to the game. As I got older, I started wearing different clothes that I thought stated my style. But I think it was [when I started] not caring what people thought, that's when I really started to wear whatever I wanted.

I feel like that confidence that shows in your game too. When did you start developing that confidence?

I'd probably say my senior year of high school. That thing that happened with Wisconsin*, that made me more confident knowing that I can do what I want. I think that decision that I made really made me mature faster. That’s why I’m confident now.