It's no question that Miami Heat rising star Tyler Herro is one of the best young offensive players in the NBA right now. Defensively though, the 20-year-old knows he still has a ton of work ahead of him if he wants to be a true superstar in the league.
Earlier in the week, Herro spent time talking to another all-time great shooter in JJ Redick. The young Herro was a guest in Redick's “The Old Man And The Three” podcast to discuss the challenges they face defensively. The New Orleans Pelicans vet has been one of the best shooters in the league in his career and, just like Herro, he feels that there's a certain stereotype when it comes to shooters like him and Herro.
“In the fourth quarter of games, did you feel like, because you're white with short arms, teams would target you defensively?” Redick, speaking from his own experience, asked the Heat youngster (via JJ Redick's YouTube channel).
“Yeah, yeah.” Herro laughingly agreed. “Me and Duncan [Robinson] know at this point going into the game, they're coming at us no matter what. And we could be playing the best defense in the world but they're still coming at us.”
As a young man entering the league, it's always going to be tough to match up against much older, experienced and bigger guys, and Tyler Herro knew this. His defensive challenges were in full display in the NBA Finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, especially when he had to switch to defending players like LeBron James. Though it was undeniably challenging, Herro was more than up for the challenge and was still able to hold his own against James and the other Lakers forwards.
Hopefully for him and the Heat, Herro bulks up and shows improvement on the defensive end this season to make sure he stays on the court as a complete asset rather than a liability.
Follow Us
Subscribe