September 1, 2010 – R.S. De France

Even though the Miami Heat is a relatively young franchise (1988-1989) in NBA terms, the organization has amassed some impressive playoff runs, including a run to the 2006 NBA championship. In that historic series, the Heat came back from a 2-0 deficit and a big deficit in game 3 to win the series 4-2.

Clearly, the recent signings of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to team up with former NBA champions Dwayne Wade and Udonis Haslem give this current roster the potential to win another title(s). With these recent additions, it is a good time to re-evaluate the top 20 Miami Heat players of all-time.

Among the factors considered are averages with the Heat, titles, achievements, total playoff games, seasons spent with the team, and their role on the squad. However, there is also some prediction involved here because these rankings show my belief that Bosh and James will go down among the best Heat players of all-time.

20. Voshon Leonard

5 seasons

3 playoffs (26 games)

11.6 ppg and 41% 3’s (playoffs)

1997 ECF

19. Brian Grant

4 seasons

2 playoffs (16 games)

15.2 ppg (playoffs)

5,622 career rebounds

18. “Thunder” Dan Majerle

5 seasons

10.8 ppg (best with Heat)

5 playoffs (37 games)

7.3 ppg (playoffs)

1997 ECF

17. Caron Butler

2 seasons

15.0 ppg (best with team)

1 playoff (13 games)

12.8 ppg and 8.5 rpg (playoffs)

1st all-time on Heat rookie-scoring list

16. PJ Brown “Big Cat”

4 seasons

9.6 ppg and 8.6 rpg (best with Heat)

4 playoffs (35 games)

7-10 ppg and 8 rpg (playoffs)

1997 ECF

15. Jason Williams “White Chocolate”

3 seasons

12.3 and 37% 3’s (best with Heat)

2 playoffs (27 games)

8.7 ppg (playoffs)

2006 Champion

14. Antoine Walker

2 seasons

12.2 ppg (with Heat)

2 playoffs (27 games)

13.1 ppg (playoffs)

2nd leading scorer in the 2006 Finals

2006 Champion

13. Lamar Odom

1 season

17.1 ppg, 9.7 rpg, and 4.1 apg (best season with Heat)

1 playoff (13 games)

16.8 ppg and 8.3 rpg (playoffs)

12. *Udonis Haslem

7 seasons (all with Heat)

10 ppg and 8.1 rpg

6 playoffs (66 games)

7.5 ppg and 7.2 rpg (playoffs)

2005 ECF

2006 Champion

11. Steve Smith

5th pick in 1991

5 seasons

17.3 pgg (best with Heat)

3 playoffs (11 games)

1997 ECF

2005 ECF

10. Rony Seikaly

9th pick in 1988

6 seasons

17.1 ppg and 11.8 rpg (best with Heat)

2 playoffs (8 games)

1st heat 40-point game (1990)

1st Heat 30-rebound game (1993)

9. Jamal Mashburn

4 seasons

17.5 ppg (best with Heat)

4 playoffs (37 games)

11.7 ppg (playoffs)

1997 ECF

8. Eddie Jones

4 seasons

18.5 ppg and 37% 3’s (with Heat)

4 playoffs (34 games)

13 ppg (playoffs)

2005 ECF

7. Glen Rice

4th pick in 1989

6 seasons

22.3 ppg and 40% 3’s (best with Heat)

2 playoffs (8 games)

1st 20ppg scorer

Led Heat to 1st ever playoff birth

1st Heat 50 Point-game (1995)

6. Tim “The Bug” Hardaway

6 seasons

20.3, 8.6 apg, and 1.9 spg (best with Heat)

6 playoffs (43 games)

14 ppg and 5.6 apg (playoffs)

1997 ECF

5. *Chris Bosh

7 seasons (all with Toronto)

20.2 ppg and 9.4 rpg

2 playoffs (11 games)

20.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg (playoffs)

4. *LeBron James “The King”

7 seasons (all with Cleveland)

27.8 ppg, 7 rpg, and 7 apg

5 playoffs (71 games)

29.3 ppg, 8.4 rpg, 7.3 apg (playoffs)

2009 and 2010 MVP (Cleveland Cavaliers)

3. Shaquille “The Diesel” O’Neal

4 seasons

22.9, 10.4, 2.3 (best season with Heat)

3 playoffs (40 games)

18.7 ppg, 9 rpg, and 1.4 bpg (playoffs)

2000 MVP (Los Angeles Lakers)

2005 ECF

2006 Champion

2. Alonzo Mourning “Zo”

11 seasons

23.2 ppg, 10.4 rpg, and 2.7 bpg (best with Heat)

Best defensive player in Heat history

9 playoffs (82 games)

12.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 2.0 bpg (playoffs)

1997 ECF

2005 ECF

2006 Champion

1. *Dwayne Wade “Flash”

7 seasons (all with Heat)

5th pick in 2003

25.4 ppg and 6.6 apg

6 playoffs (66 games)

26.3, 6 apg, and 5.3 rpg (playoffs)

2006 Finals MVP

2005 ECF

2006 Champion

Although neither Chris Bosh nor LeBron James has played a single game for the Miami Heat, both players have signed multi-year contracts. In their own words, they have set the bar remarkably high in terms of what they hope to achieve with the Heat. If (or when) they win a title or two, we may have to re-think these rankings to some degree.

LeBron James on the Heat’s title hopes:

Honorable Mention

H.M. Key:

Player (seasons, playoff games)

Best season with Heat

Kevin Willis “Fresh” (2 seasons, 0 playoff games)

17.1 ppg and 10.7 rpg

Michael Beasley (2, 12)

14.8 ppg

Grant Long (7, 7)

14.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg

Shawn Marion “The Matrix” (1, 0)

14.3 ppg and 11.2 rpg

Rex Chapman “The Boy Wonder” (1, 3)

14.0 ppg and 37% 3’s

Kevin Edwards (5, 3)

20th pick in 1988

13.9 ppg

Jermaine O’Neal (2, 11)

13.6 ppg and 6.9 rpg

Issac Austin (2, 15)

1997 6th man of the year

12.7 ppg

1997 ECF

Willie Burton (4, 2)

9th pick in 1990

12 ppg (Rookie)

Billy Thompson “B.T. Express” (3, 0)

11.0 ppg and 7 rpg

Jason Kapono (2, 5)

10.9 ppg and 51% 3’s

Harold Miner (3, 4)

Slam Dunk Champion

10.5 ppg

Daequan Cook (3, 7)

9.1 ppg and 38.7% 3’s

Brian Shaw (3, 8 )

9.0 ppg and 5.0 apg

Terry Porter (1, 5)

9.0 ppg

Gary Payton “The Glove” (2, 25)

7.7 ppg (best season with Heat)

2006 Champion

Bruce Bowen (3, 13)

7.6 ppg

1997 ECF

James Posey (2, 26)

7.3 pgg and 40% 3’s (playoffs)

2006 Champion

Cedric Ceballos “Ice” (1, 3)

6.9 ppg

AC Green (1, 1)

4.5 ppg

Notes

All ppg are from players’ seasons with the Miami Heat, unless otherwise noted.

Stats and achievements are taken from Basketball Reference and the Miami Heat Official Website

*Currently on the Miami Heat roster

R.S. De France is a College and University instructor of English Composition. He has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Rhetoric, Composition, and Writing. One of his life-long pursuits has been writing and covering anything related to sports, specifically the NBA. Recently, De France, his wife, and another colleague started an internationally read magazine at Shwibly.com.