The Miami Heat‘s Tyler Johnson has certainly had a summer definitely worth remembering.
It can be recalled that when he was still a restricted free agent during the early part of this year's free agency, he received a qualifying offer from the Brooklyn Nets worth $50 million for four years.
Everyone, including himself, thought that he will be playing for a new team based on the assumption that the Heat will not match the offer, but the unexpected happened. The team's franchise player and “Heat Lifer” in Dwyane Wade left South Beach and chose to go back home and play for the Chicago Bulls.
The Heat had to pick up the pieces and rebuild from there on, so they matched the Nets' offer to Johnson in order to retain his services and signed other free agents as well. The rest is history.
Now, a new beginning awaits Tyler Johnson and the Heat. He was already considered as one of players with the most to prove this coming season in an article made by Adam Fromal for Bleacher Report, but the Fresno State product is not shying away from it and wants to show everyone that he is worth his contract and that he can deliver for his team when needed.
The 6'4″ combo guard's story is a very inspiring one. He showed great determination by never giving up on his dream of making it to the NBA even after going undrafted in 2014. He bounced around that year from the D-League to a couple of 10-day contracts to eventually getting signed by the Heat for two years.
The success he is now enjoying is all because of his hard work and perseverance. As per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel, Johnson said he is confident to face the challenge head on because of this:
Tyler Johnson, at Heat youth camp, on his $50 million contract, "If you put in the work, you're prepared and you won't be nervous."
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) August 10, 2016
The 24-year-old's mentality has not changed from the time he just made it to the league until now that he has a new guaranteed contract. His focus remains on the task at hand. In an interview with Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley last December, he had this to say:
“Once you feel like you've made it is when it all starts to go away, The biggest thing is for me to keep my head down and continue to get better.”
Dwyane Wade will never be replaced in Miami. His impact to the game and the championships he brought to the city will forever hold a special place in their fans' hearts. Tyler Johnson looms to be his replacement, but he doesn't consider himself as such. Instead, he only wants to give his best and play to his full potential.
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