Periodically the sports world will give us a feel good story. And one of the feel good stories in the early part of 2015 belongs to Miami Heat center Hassan Whiteside. Whiteside has taken the long road to success in the NBA. After one year of playing college basketball at Marshall Univeristy, Whiteside declared for the 2010 NBA Draft where he was selected in the second round by the Sacramento Kings. Over two seasons with the Kings, Whiteside only appeared in 23 games where he averaged 1.5 and 2.1 rebounds per contest. Whiteside would bounce around the NBA’s Developmental League along with a brief stint in Lebanon and China respectively. Whiteside was signed by the Memphis Grizzlies last September. With the Grizzlies, Whiteside only appeared in one game and he didn’t tally any stats. The Grizzlies would go on to release Whiteside in November and he would be picked up by the Heat who would assign him to the Sioux Falls Skyforce od the NBADL. Whiteside would then be a bit player for the Heat in the month of December as he averaged 3.1 points and 3.9 rebounds before finally beginning to breakthrough in January.
Hassan Whiteside
On January 4, the Heat defeated the Brooklyn Nets 88-84 and in the game Whiteside totaled 11 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks. A week later in a 104-90 victory over the Clippers, Whiteside had 23 points and 16 rebounds. On January 25, the Heat knocked off the Chicago Bulls 96-84 as Whiteside had 14 points, 13 rebounds, and 12 blocks. For the month of January, Whiteside averaged 13.0 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks including a 16-point, 24-rebound performance in a loss to the Dallas Mavericks on January 30.
Whiteside’s strong January has carried over to the month of February as he is averaging 18.3 points and 13.0 per contest. In the Heat’s 102-101 loss to the Minnesota TImberwolves this past Thursday night, Whiteside contributed with 24 points and 20 rebounds. In just 23 games this season with the Heat, Whiteside is already the team’s leading rebounder as he is averaging 8.3 boards per game.
After losing small forward LeBron James to free agency last summer, the Heat have struggled as they are just 21-28, but Whiteside has emerged as a difference maker as he is making the most of this opportunity. And as Heat team president Pat Riley attempts to rebuild this team into a title contender, he appears to have found a vital cog in Whiteside.
Even when the Heat were a title contender with James, they were lacking an interior presence. The Heat still have All-Star power forward Chris Bosh, but he was asked to alter his game since coming to Miami in 2010. Prior to joining the Heat, Bosh was more of a low-post presence during his time with the Toronto Raptors. But now Bosh tends to play more on the perimeter; even spotting up for three-point shots. Now Whiteside has become a presence on the interior for the Heat and he is cleaning up the glass while also making opponents thinking twice about driving to the hole.
Pat Riley
Whiteside is still a bit raw, but he is giving the Heat more athleticism in the frontcourt that they sorely need. Whiteside will be 26-years old this June and his game will only continue to improve. Riley doesn’t believe in long-term rebuilds; especially with veteran players such as Bosh and shooting guard Dwyane Wade still on the Heat’s roster. Riley will more than likely be active this summer in trying to improve the Heat, but it appears that the center position is one less thing for him to worry about as Whiteside has emerged. The Heat have Whiteside under contract through next season and they have him on the cheap as he is earning 769k this season and $981k for the 2015-2016 NBA season. Riley has been around the NBA for a long time and his track record speaks for itself as he has been a part of nine NBA Championship teams as a player, assistant head coach, head coach, and executive. Riley got Whiteside for next to nothing and I don’t see the young, athletic center leaving anytime soon.
Source: Basketball-reference.com
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