How the Heat’s Tyler Hero used Pat Riley’s ‘fragile’ dig to fuel a career season

As it is the drama between the Miami Heat and Jimmy Butler continuesthe only bright spot this season was the appearance Tyler Herro. In addition to his floor play, he has improved his availability so far, especially after Heat president Pat Riley called him “fragile” as he missed significant time last season.

After Bam Adebayo missed Monday night’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers with a lower back contusion, Hero is now the only player on the team to have played every game so far. No doubt he took Riley’s words last May to heart during his season-ending press conference as a challenge for this current season.

“He was a little fragile,” Riley said. “He broke his arm last year in the playoffs and had a couple of injuries earlier in his career. It’s always going to be about getting stronger, preparing your body for that kind of physicality. So his major injuries are real and we’re just hoping that we can go through a season where he plays in the 72 to 82 game range. Maybe one year he will surprise everyone and play every game.”

Heat’s Tyler Herro on commentary from Pat Riley

Zvezda’s point guard would address the media after another impressive game that ended with 32 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists. He talked about being a “perfectionist” and how definitive “took his word” seeing Riley as a way to motivate himself according to The Miami Herald.

“I’m a perfectionist in my own way,” Herro said. “I don’t need anyone to tell me that I’m fragile or that I haven’t played that many games.” I’m aware of what’s going on. I know I’ve missed the last two seasons, with a hand injury and half a season last year. I saw the comments coach Riley made. In my own world, I tried to play more games by myself any way I could. I took his words, obviously, to heart and used them as motivation as always.”

“I’m trying to play over 70, 75 games, for sure,” Herro continued. “Obviously, if I can play all 82, I’ll play 82. But I’m just trying to be as healthy as possible… It’s early, I missed 40 games last year. So if I got hurt in the next game, I could still miss 40 games. Let me knock on wood. But it’s still early.”

As Herro looks like an All-Star hope this season he entered it emphasizing his health and getting bigger, which was talked about during the media day.

Warmth Erik Spoelstra on the development of Tyler Hero

With his health has come a consistency on the basketball court that hasn’t been seen from him before, as he leads the team with 24 points and 5.1 assists per game while shooting 46.9 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from deep.

“This is not an overnight thing,” Spoelstra said. “I think people only recognize if the scoring average goes up.” But his skills have really developed over the last three years. He was a hell of an offensive player when he was the Sixth Man of the Year (for the 2021-22 season). Now he’s added some strength, he defends better, his playmaking has gotten better, his off-the-catch movement has gotten better. We know what he could do with the ball in his hands — it’s been two or three years. But it’s really putting a lot of things together to help your team.”

“He’s really proud of all of that,” Spoelstra continued. “The responsibilities he has for the team, he’s really worked on it, making his body stronger. He loves all the offensive responsibilities, scoring, but also playmaking, facilitating, sometimes just playing the ball and creating confusion around it all. But all great players develop that kind of consistency at some point.”

Spoelstra would even hint that some of Hero’s traits are like Stephen Curry as he praised his star throughout the season. However, Hero has yet to determine if his goals have been met health-wise, but he is well on his way as he only played 42 games last season.

Miami is 20-18, which puts them in seventh place in the East, as they next face the Lakers on Wednesday.