Who Gets Last Spot on All-NBA Team, Butler or Adebayo?

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When looking at the All-NBA teams for this 2020 season, it seems as if the final forward spot will either go to Bam Adebayo or Jimmy Butler. The two have been one of the better duos in the league this season. They both have been equally important to this Miami Heat team, but who gets the edge?

First off, the position placings are a big unknown when discussing the All-NBA teams. For example, is Bam Adebayo a Center or a Forward. Well, Bam has played 58% of his minutes at forward this season which is why I’m leaning towards that.

Now, to get the five forwards ahead of them out of the way, those players will most likely be: LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Anthony Davis, and Jayson Tatum. This is another instance where position becomes a factor since there’s question around Anthony Davis being a Power Forward or Center. But, he played 64% of his minutes at forward for the Los Angelas Lakers this season.

But who has the portfolio advantage between Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler for the last slot?

The Last All-NBA Slot

Jimmy Butler averaged over 20 points per game this year, even with the shooting struggles he had throughout the season. He also displayed his play-making ability at an elite level this year, averaging six assists per game which was a career high. And of course, he has all of the things that are not shown in a stat sheet. The leadership, the unselfishness. With all of these factors, he’s no question an All-NBA team level player.

And now, Bam Adebayo. Bam has had an incredible breakout year, leading the way for the most improved player award. He averages 16 points per game and over 10 rebounds a game. But even with these amazing stats, this isn’t his most noticed attribute. It’s his defense. Bam has shown that he is an elite level defender, especially on the perimeter. A definite boost to his all NBA case was his impact against some of the best teams and players this season. He shut down key players including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Pascal Siakam and Joel Embiid. Which is always going to be a strong case.

With all of this information, it seems as if Bam Adebayo will end up getting the edge. For one, if you asked Jimmy Butler who he thinks should get it, he would no doubt say Bam. Also, there’s always a couple of players in the league who have that likable personality that media and coaches lean towards. Bam is that guy. Coaches like him, players like him, and the league likes him. When discussing the two, everyone seems to lean Bam.

This will be great to top off Bam Adebayo’s outstanding regular season play.

 

SFCBL title means bragging rights among Florida Atlantic players

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In the SFCBL, South Florida Collegiate Baseball League, Owls of a feather compete together.

That’s the summer vibe for a handful of Florida Atlantic players who are competing with each other for the SFCBL title the ultimate prize that comes with it.

“I would like to hold bragging rights over my other teammates,” said FAU infielder Jared DeSantolo, who plays for the North Division leading Palm Beach Diamond Ducks.

Most of the 2020 FAU roster has been spread out throughout the league.

FAU Owls at SFCBL

DeSantolo has company within the Diamond Ducks in pitchers Jackson Vescelus and Adrien Reese, who pitched four shutout innings against the Boyton Beach Buccaneers on Tuesday while striking out seven. The Phipps Park Barracudas (pitcher Michael Schumer, infielder Cade Parker and outfielder Victor Castillo) is tied with the Diamond Ducks with having the most Owls players.

The South Division leading West Boca Snappers have two Owls in catcher Nick Toney and shortstop Wilfredo Alvarez. The Fort Lauderdale Knights (outfielder Mitch Hartiga), the Delray Beach Lightning (outfielder Jackson Wenstorm), the Florida Pokers (pitcher Dante Visconti) and the Pompano Beach Clippers (infielder BJ Murray) each have one Owl.

The Buccaneers have three incoming FAU freshmen on their team. Chief among the trio is infielder Nolan Schanuel, who went 2-for-3 against the Diamond Ducks to raise his batting average to .300.

“It’s exciting to watch the kids we got coming in and what they can do,” DeSantolo said. “It’s good to get to know them before we get to school.”

The stories that come from playing against each other have been bountiful. A game between the Pokers and Barracudas pitted roommates Visconti, Parker and Castillo against each other.

“[Visconti] struck me out the first time and teased me for a whole week and then I told him the next time I faced him I was going to get a hit and the next week he through against me and I got a hit. We laughed about it for a while,” Castillo said. “We give him a hard time because he plays like he’s the best guy out there but we love it. He competed and makes us compete.”

“We have fun when we meet each other outside of the game,” Parker said. “We talk about our competition and it’s fun to get a couple hits off your buddy.”

“I actually faced my roommate Jared DeSantolo the other day and drilled him on my last pitch,” Hartigan said. “It’s interesting that we get to compete against each other.”

FAU Baseball in 2020

DeSantolo finds it a little weird to go from competing with FAU teammates to against them in the same year but it’s not something he’s no used to.

“We’re used to it because we do it in intersquads almost every day in the fall,” DeSantolo said, “so it kind of gets back to that feel of fall ball.

The Owls finished the 2019 season 41-21 in the Athens Regional. The Owls were 10-6 before the season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. DeSantolo and other players are appreciative about getting to play during this time of crisis. The summer season doesn’t make up for the lost spring.

“Nothing makes up for losing basically a whole year of college ball,” DeSantolo said. “But they gave us back our eligibility back, which is cool. I’m excited for next year. I think we’re going to have a really good team, even better than last year.”

ESPN Ranks the Miami Heat Below a Familiar Opponent

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ESPN ranks came out with a new NBA power rankings list late last night that included a questionable placing: the Philadelphia 76ers over the Miami Heat.

For starters, a good portion of this ESPN ranks list was mainly placed based on the team’s record. Except this particular team. A 6th seed 76ers team was ranked two spots higher than the 4th seed Miami Heat.

Maybe this was because Philadelphia was better head to head. Oh wait, the Heat were 3-1 against them this year.

Maybe it’s because Philadelphia has the best player on the floor between these two teams. Oh wait, the Miami Heat have Jimmy Butler.

This could go on and on but the truth is, there’s no reason to have them higher as of right now. The only true argument would be that they are healthier. But so is Miami.

And how could a team be ranked 7th in the NBA when the team’s two best players play better when the other is off of the floor?

But at least we know now, ESPN is “trusting the process.”

For the record, here’s what ESPN’s Nick Friedell said about the Heat:

Is the bubble atmosphere perfect for the Heat?
Jimmy Butler has always believed that he could be the face of a championship-caliber team, despite some doubts across the league that his game is better suited for a secondary role. He has his chance now, as the Heat — who have cultivated a basketball-centric culture for years — believe they come into the bubble with a competitive advantage, given how business-like their mindset is. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra believes the bubble environment can bring the best out of Butler. — Nick Friedell

Remaining schedule: DEN, TOR, BOS, MIL, PHX, IND, OKC, IND

Max Meyer

Max Meyer Throws First Bullpen for Marlins

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Max Meyer toed the rubber for the first time in a Marlins uniform on Tuesday. Miami’s most recent first round pick, Meyer joined the 60-man player pool after signing his contract. As part of the pool, Meyer joined the workouts in progress at the team’s training facility in Jupiter, FL.

“The juices were flowing a little bit being the first time back on the mound and especially in the Marlins uniform was pretty special,” Meyer said of the afternoon session. “It was really fun to be out there for the first time in uniform.”

Max Meyer Adds Another High-End Arm to the System

Meyer became the latest in Miami’s line of high-end arms in the system. The 21-year-old sports a fastball that touches 99 miles-per-hour and tops out at 102 MPH. The “out” pitch, though, is a devastating slider. According to Keith Law of The Athletic, Meyer was “the most major-league ready player in the draft.”

Similar sentiments were echoed by Marlins director of amateur scouting DJ Svihlik. “That’s the most athletic college pitcher in this Draft, with the most electric stuff, and he’s just about Major League-ready.”

The Marlins took Meyer out of the University of Minnesota. As a member of the Golden Gophers, he posted a 2.13 ERA with 11.4 K/9 against 2.5 BB/9 over 148 innings in his career. Prior to the COVID-19 shut down, he pitched 27.2 innings with a 1.95 ERA.

There were some concerns with Meyer’s size. (He’s listed at 6-foot, 185 pounds, but says he’s added weight since). But he profiles with favorable comps to former CY Young winner Tim Lincecum and 3-time All-Star Roy Oswalt.

Being associated with those names, as well as the possibility of a quick MLB debut, could be seen as added pressure, but Meyer doesn’t feel that way.

“I don’t really think about that too much honestly,” Meyer admitted. “I can’t control any of that, so I’m just gonna keep doing what I have been doing, working out, throwing. I’ll be ready for whatever happens.”

JJ Bleday Reacts to Meyer’s Bullpen Session

Meyer’s first bullpen session was limited to 20 pitches, which he said were mostly fastballs with some changeups mixed in.

Fellow top-prospect JJ Bleday stood in on a few of Meyer’s pitches and came away impressed.

“The first thing I noticed right off the bat was how athletic he is,” Bleday said. “He’s got confident body movements. He pounds the zone, and he’s pretty calm, cool, collected on the mound. As a position player that’s what I like to see out of a pitcher.

“It was just fun standing in on him,” Belday said, who never faced Meyer in college, “that was cool.”

Bleday complimented Meyer’s athleticism, saying it “speaks volumes. You don’t want to be just a pitcher, you want to be the guy that makes that play when the guy drops a bunt and he’s definitely got that ability and that athleticism.”

Much of Meyer’s athleticism comes from his experience as a two-sport athlete. Meyer grew up in Minnesota and spent his whole life playing hockey. In college, Meyer would spend his winter breaks playing hockey every day.

“It’s definitely a big part of my life and I feel like I kind of bring that bulldog mentality on the mound. I was a pretty physical player in hockey, so I kinda get fired up when I’m out on the mound.”

Among the Other Prospects

In Jupiter, other top pitching prospects surround Meyer. Sixto Sanchez, Edward Cabrera, Jorge Guzman and Braxton Garrett all pop the catcher’s mitt with velocity.

“I’ve been looking at the arms and I feel like the balls just fly out of these guys’ hands. It’s unbelievable honestly,” Meyer said of the other pitchers. “There’s definitely some good competition to throw against.”

Meyer admitted that draft day was a blur and called meeting Marlins CEO Derek Jeter “unbelievable. I’m so happy to be a part of this organization led by all these top guys up here. It’s been unbelievable.”

There’s no doubt Max Meyer features as a major part of Miami’s future, be it as a starter or closer. He joins a prolific set of pitching prospects who have the Marlins’ outlook on the rise.

“It’s a fun group of guys,” Meyers said of those in Jupiter. “They got a lot of good arms here and some good bats, so it’s gonna be fun.”

Summer Ball bridges the gap to CJ Dearman’s next opportunity

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CJ Dearman was supposed to have his senior day at Florida International University.

He was supposed to take the mound one last time at FIU Baseball Stadium in May, strike someone out, and ride off into the sunset, possibly on a bus somewhere in the minor leagues.

Instead, the pitcher’s senior season was cut off shortly due to the COVID-19 viral outbreak. Now, Dearman’s senior day will have to come next year at St. Thomas University in Miami.

“Originally I was planning on just graduating from FIU with my bachelors,” Dearman said. “However with the epidemic going on and me being gifted another year to play, I definitely wanted to take advantage. Also. St Thomas was willing to give me an opportunity to attend grad school and play on a very good team. Two of my best friends from FIU are also going with me so it just seemed like an ideal choice.”

CJ Dearman at FIU

Dearman was primarily a relief pitcher at FIU, posting a 3.41 ERA in 24 career appearances with one save and 15 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched. At the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League, he is a starting pitcher for the Pompano Beach Clippers. He’s posted a 1.68 ERA in three starts with 12 strikeouts in 10.2 innings.

One interesting component of the summer league is taking on former teammates. A handful of Dearman’s FIU teammates are in the SFCBL but none of them play for the Clippers. Dearman’s introduction to the 2020 SFCBL season was versus a former teammate. He took on West Boca Snappers’ second baseman Derek Cartaya, who has a .305 career bating average in four years at FIU.

“To play against my former teammates is an absolute blast,” Dearman said. “It makes you bring the best out of yourself because no one wants to lose to their friend. We look forward to those games because no matter what. It’s always a lot more fun, especially when you’re striking your friends out.”

As great it is to be one of the few playing baseball at a time where the enigmatic epidemic hangs over the nation like a tropical storm hovers over Florida, Dearman says it doesn’t make up for the lost spring.

“It’s just because it’s not the same,” Dearman said. “Like for summer, I didn’t grind and do those tough 6 a.m. workouts with those guys. So I don’t know what I’m getting into. Also, I don’t get to go to the cool cities around the U.S. when I play summer ball as opposed to when I was at FIU.

“So it doesn’t really make up for it but it does give me that same fun feeling of playing the game I love.”

Mattingly's media availability

5 Takeaways from Mattingly’s Media Availability

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On Monday afternoon, the Miami Marlins made manager Don Mattingly available to local media. Touching on a number of interesting topics, Mattingly’s media availability lasted nearly 30 minutes via Zoom.

Here’s a look at 5 Takeaways from Mattingly’s Media Availability.

Mattingly’s Media Availability: COVID-19 Concerns

MLB, as well as the NBA, MLS and NHL, is trying to get games going in the safest way they can manage. Some players, like Dodgers SP David Price, Rockies OF Ian Desmond, Nationals 1B Ryan Zimmerman, and Braves SP Felix Hernandez and OF Nick Markakis, have opted out of the 2020 season, citing COVID-19 concerns among other reasons. The Marlins, who are nestled in a current COVID-19 hotspot, have been measured with their precautions and procedures.

Some of those concerns were addressed during Mattingly’s media availability.

“We see the news,” Mattingly said. “[But] we haven’t had that feel here, haven’t had that vibe that guys are nervous about playing. Maybe it’s just our age or our group.”

Mattingly went on to say the entire team had testing done for the virus Monday but noted they “feel fairly safe.”

He explained the team is taking precautions seriously, maintaining social distance and wearing masks when possible, and using hand sanitizer. Mattingly also indicated that should the test results take too long, or the results themselves show a spread, the team could shut down its facilities like the Nationals and Astros.

“I feel fairly confident,” Mattingly said about the prospect of the 2020 season. “I feel like there’s still some kinks that we’re working out with testing and getting results back. But I am confident that we’ll get that together and get this thing off the ground.”

Prospects On the Rise

The Marlins 60-man player pool featured a number of the franchise’s high-end prospects. While many of those players are still a ways away from the big leagues, some have been invited to Marlins Park for the summer training camp.

Both Jesús Sánchez and Lewin Díaz stand among Miami’s top-10 prospects and both arrived at Marlins Park on Monday. Sanchez sports a smooth left-handed swing with power potential as a right fielder. Diaz towers as a first baseman at 6-foot-4 and features serious power in his bat.

“You feel good about both of these kids,” Mattingly said of Sanchez and Diaz. “Both are physical kids that got a pretty good feel for hitting.”

During Mattingly’s media availability, the manager hedged on whether either, or both, would make their MLB debut this season.

“You know sometimes that timetable can shift a year here or here or there, but I like both of these guys. I’m pretty confident both are going to be successful.”

One prospected who’s on the short-list to make the active 30-man roster is lefty relief pitcher Alex Vesia. The 24-year-old impressed by posting a 1.62 ERA with 138 strikeouts over 100 innings while advancing to Double-A during his first two pro seasons.

“Everywhere he went he had success,” Mattingly said. Miami’s manager noted Vesia pitches “with confidence” and “has some Moxie about him. He’s on the attack, he’s not afraid, he’s a strike thrower. He’s looked really good.”

Pitching through Spring Training this March, Vesia sported a nearly 41 scoreless innings streak that caught people’s eye. He could be part of a revamped bullpen that desperately needed an upgrade.

Last season, the Marlins featured one of the worst bullpens in all of MLB. Miami relievers posted the fifth-worst ERA (4.97), strikeout-to-walk ratio (2.11) and save percentage (55.1). Their WHIP (1.45) was seventh worst in MLB.

Jonathan Villar’s role

The Marlins added utility infielder Jonathan Villar this offseason. The move came with questions, though, as Miami features regulars at all of Villar’s positions.

Villar performed at a high rate for the Orioles over the last two seasons. In 2019, he slashed .273/.339/.453 and posted a 4.0 WAR over 162 games for Baltimore. He started 158 of them at either second base or at shortstop. Villar brings durability, defensive acumen and consistent offensive production.

One of the major storylines heading into Spring surrounded Villar’s role with the club. The addition of the DH to the National League simplifies things.

“I still like him up top in the order,” Mattingly said, who views Villar as an offensive sparkplug. According to the manager, Villar could bounce “back and forth between centerfield, second base, shortstop and DH.”

Although the team lists Villar as an infielder, Mattingly indicated Villar continues to see work in centerfield. The team, though, had hoped to get him more reps there during Spring Training.

Ballpark Changes

Marlins Park experienced renovations this offseason, with the addition of an artificial playing surface and altering the dimensions.

Offseason additions of players with a little pop, like Villar, Jesus Aguilar, Corey Dickerson and Matt Joyce, will help exploit these changes.

Mattingly noted the organization looks for players who can hit first, with power potential as a secondary concern. They team wants to avoid players with high strikeout rates and big power. They’d rather someone who is “productive in a lot of different games in different ways.”

Between the new dimensions and the new hitters, Mattingly did say they expect to more home runs this season. He referenced Villar hitting over 20 home runs last season, as well as Aguilar’s power. He also mentioned Jorge Alfaro and Brian Anderson’s development as hitters.

“I think the ballpark obviously will play just a tick smaller,” he said, noting it’s not playing like a hitter’s park during recent batting practice sessions. “I think the park plays fair.”

Mattingly’s Media Availability: The Schedule

The Marlins face one of the most difficult schedules in MLB for 2020. This gauntlet features six teams who were above .500 last season, and only two teams who were below.

“You got good teams you’re going to face with the American League East. We always deal with Tampa, who are obviously really good this moment. Yankees are always good, Boston’s always good. Toronto’s young and coming [and] Baltimore’s a little bit like us.

“Your main thing is: Get yourselves ready to play.”

Despite the difficult slate, Mattingly expressed the team’s confidence. The sprint metaphor for this season seems apt. While the best teams usually win out in a 162-game season, in a 60-game stretch, anything can happen. Even the 1993 Marlins won 30 games over a 61-game sample during their expansion season.

“In a 60-game season, there is a lot of momentum. You go 8-4 out of the gate, you’ve played 20 percent of your season, and you put pressure on teams.”

The Marlins will open the 2020 season on in Philadelphia, then play a home-and-home four-game set with Baltimore.

“I know we’re gonna be playing good teams,” Mattingly said. “Everybody has a chance to in this scenario.”

Mattingly said his staff has largely settled on an opening day starter, but he did not name the pitcher.

Most assume it will be 2019 All-Star Sandy Alcantara taking the mound on July 24th. After Alcantara, the Marlins should roll out some variation of Caleb Smith, Pablo López, José Ureña and either Jordan Yamamoto, Elieser Hernández or perhaps prospect Nick Neidert.

Mattingly mentioned the team has talked about a regular five-man rotation. They’ve also kicked around the idea of piggybacking but haven’t discussed going to a six-man set.

Piggybacking could have four starters on limited pitch-counts (maybe 75 or so), followed by three or four long relievers with a pitch-count around 50. This model is common in the lower levels of the minor leagues. The team could implement a piggybacking tandem with just the fifth slot in the rotation.

“I think we will probably try to settle on five [pitchers] and feel good about that, knowing that we have depth moving forward with the other guys,” Mattingly said of the staff.

During Mattingly’s media availability, he went on to discuss how the truncated nature of the schedule limits his ability to be patient with struggling pitchers and hitters.

“You don’t have time to like try to search for it and try to milk guys along, get guys in the groove. You’re going to look for guys to get in the groove right away. And you’re going to be making some decisions based upon some early results with guys, which may be fair or unfair but that’s the way it works when you’re in a pennant race. You’re playing guys that are hot guys are getting it done.”

“We need to win every game. You got to play like you’re gonna win every game,” Mattingly said of the team’s mindset for 2020. “Every game is important, every play is important, every out is important, and just go after it in that way.”

North Carolina’s Caleb Roberts catching on with Lightning

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The Delray Beach Lightning is currently the hottest team in the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League. They nailed their ninth victory in the last 10 games. For the 18-6 rout over the South Division-leading West Boca Snappers on Monday, they leaned on catcher Caleb Roberts.

One of the catalysts of that victory, Roberts, went 3-for-4 with four RBIs. He raised his batting average to .341 for the summer. Roberts has spent the summer working to return to his original position after spending his collegiate career at right field for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

“Getting the reps here in the [SFCBL] has helped a lot,” Roberts said, “and catching every day has given me a chance to show scouts, and myself really, that I can catch at this level.”

Prospect Watch: C Caleb Roberts

Caleb Roberts arrived to North Carolina as a catcher. A knee injury, though, forced him to adjust to the outfield during his freshman year. He played in 54 games, started 40 of them for the 46-19 Tar Heels. He batted .227 with 23 runs, 17 RBI and a .374 on-base percentage. But perhaps his most memorable moment from that season came in the ACC Tournament opener against Virginia.

Roberts entered the game as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the tenth inning with the bases loaded. He was hit by a pitch, making it a painful, yet rewarding walk-off winner. In order for the Tar Heels to continue on towards their conference championship run, Roberts had to literally take one for the team.

He played only in the season opening series of the 2020 spring that was cut off after 19 games due to the COVID-19 outbreak. After the Cape Cod League cancelled their season, summer baseball in the wake of the pandemic was not a sure thing. For Roberts, getting to play in the SFCBL makes up for losing his sophomore season.

South Florida Roots

“Having the chance to play down here in one of the only leagues going on in the entire country is a great experience,” Roberts said.

Like many of the players in the SFCBL, Roberts is a South Florida native. He won the FHSAA 8A State Championship in 2018 with St Thomas Aquinas in a senior year worthy of the title “Mr. Baseball.” That year he was ranked the No. 6 catching prospect in Florida by Perfect Game after batting .494 with a .988 slugging percentage, 53 RBI and six home runs.

Beating his old rivals again and winning the league title for the Lightning would certainly mean a lot to Roberts.

“I played with a bunch of these kids in high school and played against them in travel ball,” Roberts said. “To win would be pretty cool.”

5 Takeaways from interview with Meyers Leonard

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The Miami Heat’s starting center, Meyers Leonard, went on a zoom call today to discuss his status, the team’s situation and more as they head into the bubble in a couple of days.

Here’s some of the key moments from this interview…

1.

Meyers Leonard talks about his current role with the Miami Heat and the impact he thinks he makes. Also mentioning he didn’t have a consistent role in Portland but does here. He says, “I don’t care about stats. All I care about is wins.” This has shown to be true since the Heat went 34-15 when Meyers was starting this season. It also caused the Heat to be in a bit of a slump down the stretch of the season. So getting him back on the floor should get the Heat back to their early season form.

2. 

One of the most important parts of this Miami Heat team is a healthy Meyers Leonard. Which is why it was great to hear Meyers say everything healed correctly. One of the only positives of the hiatus for the Miami Heat, if there was one, was getting Meyers Leonard back to 100%. So hearing him say he feels good with less than a month away from the season returning is big for this Miami Heat team.
3. 

It’s always great to hear Heat players embracing the Miami Heat culture. Meyers definitely thinks it’s a plus saying, “Heat culture is very real.” He also goes on to saying that everyone knows their role on this team, which definitely fits this format. Having a certain type of structure in the bubble should definitely benefit the Heat.
4. 

Meyers talks about the depth of the rotation after Miami acquired Jae Crowder and Andre Iguodala. Meyers has yet to play a game with them since he has been out with injury since the trade was made. He says he will have to earn his spot again once the season resumes in Orlando. This won’t be a problem for Meyers since his strengths of on court vocal abilities and leadership will be much needed in a playoff setting.

5.

Meyers Leonard says, “When you win, you get paid and you get to stick around.” The word that best  describes this quote is earning, which is something he brings up a couple of times throughout the interview. He then ends the interview saying, “I like it here,” which should make all Heat fans happy since this is the last year of his deal. And hopefully re-signs so he can help lead Miami to the playoffs for many years to come.

Forgotten Heat in Miami: Wayne Simien

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3…Jason Terry sprints up the court…2, the three-pointer goes up!…1, off the rim! Wade grabs the rebound!  Throws the ball up in the air!  The Miami Heat win, 95-92, in Dallas to crown themselves as NBA champions for the first time in franchise history! And there he was, Wayne Simien, the rookie sprinting towards the joyous scrum of hugs and elation in a tan suit to celebrate with Shaquille O’Neal and Gary Payton, the same superstars he idolized and watched on TV barely a year earlier.

To check out the first chapter of the “Forgotten Heat” saga, click here.

This was supposed to be just the beginning for Simien. A high school and college All-American, he has the distinction of being one of the only two players drafted by the Heat out of the University of Kansas.

You thought the other one was Mario Chalmers, didn’t you? Well, you would be wrong. Chalmers was drafted by the Minnesota Timberwolves and then traded to the Heat back in 2008. The other one was Darnell Jackson with the 52nd pick in 2007.

Anyway, I digress. Simien arrived in Miami as a highly touted college player that had played in two consecutive Final Fours as a freshman and sophomore before being named an All-American as a junior and senior. He was touched by life’s magic wand, or so he thought.

Nobody could have imagined that the power forward with the potential to be the next Tim Duncan would become a draft bust and exchange the glory and fortune of the NBA for a church and the humble life of a pastor. This is the story of Wayne Simien, one of the “Forgotten Heat.”

JAYHAWK IN FLIGHT

Simien grew up 20 minutes away from Allen Fieldhouse in Leavenworth, Kansas, so he obviously always dreamed of playing for Oklahoma. Just kidding, he accrued every possible honor winning a state championship as a junior and being named a McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior. He also pursued his other competitive passion and won fishing tournaments with his dad, Wayne Sr., as a kid.

However, he was pretty underrated nationally despite of that. Kwame Brown and Eddy Curry were the belles of the ball and ESPN.com had him in 67th place back then in the Class of 2001 rankings. Not that it mattered much anyway…it was love at first sight and Kansas Jayhawks head coach Roy Williams wanted him on his roster as much as Simien wanted to make his childhood dream come true.

The 6’9’’, 255-pound forward joined a roster that had future NBA players such as Kirk Hinrich, Nick Collison and Drew Gooden. In fact, Roy Williams’ intention was for Simien to be Gooden’s successor as the next big threat in the paint for his team.

That desire would come true. Simien finished his college career 12th   in all-time scoring (currently 16th) surpassing Gooden’s 1,526 points with his own 1,593.

Everything seemed to be golden in his charmed life. But then storm clouds appeared in his horizon for the first time.

DRAFT SLIDE

Back in 2003, Kansas lost in the national championship game against Carmelo Anthony’s Syracuse squad. Maybe they would have won if Simien hadn’t been ruled out for the season after re-injuring his right shoulder during the regular season.

He had already had surgery on it in high school, then injured it multiple times in college jamming it on the rim, making contact with opposing players…it was a mess, so surgery was required once again. Simien would go on to average 19 points and 33 minutes the following two years at Kansas. But his injury history spooked teams picking in the lottery during the 2006 NBA Draft.

Then again, maybe that wasn´t all that made them hesitate. Simien had a bit of Carmelo Anthony-itis in him as well.

‘If the team lost and I played well, I would feel good about it. But if the team won and I played bad, I would be in a bad mood,” Simien told the Christian Broadcasting Network back in 2014. That was when a campus pastor approached him at Kansas and motivated him to dive deeper into religious study, changing his mindset forever. He joined a church group and made religion his guiding light.

TRYING TO AVOID SIN IN SOUTH BEACH

So imagine you live your whole life in humble Kansas. You devote yourself to religion. All of a sudden you’re thrust into the party capital of the world as a 22-year-old with revelers such as Shaquille O´Neal, Jason Williams and Antoine Walker as teammates.

Good. Luck.

“I remember walking in,” Simien told The Wichita Eagle in 2010. “They were like ‘This dude’s a Christian. Give him two weeks until he’s on South Beach in a strip club with me, give him such and such amount of time until he meets Suzie in LA. and does yada yada yada.’ They were taking bets on me, basically, cash-money bets right in front of me as far as how long it would take for me to have a hiccup or whatever.”

To Simien´s credit, the siren call of groupies and the NBA lifestyle didn´t deter him.

Pat Riley had drafted Simien with the 29th pick of the 2005 NBA Draft. To be fair to Riley, Simien seemed like a steal. He could be groomed as a big man under the tutelage of Shaq and Udonis Haslem. Most importantly, he was another big body at Riley´s disposal to fend off the big, bad Detroit Pistons. More specifically Rasheed and Ben Wallace.

The rookie moved to Miami with his girlfriend, Katie, who he’d begun dating six months earlier on New Year´s Eve. He asked her to marry him just two months later.

On November 2, 2005, Wayne Simien played the last 1:37 minutes of a 97-78 blowout win over the Grizzlies in Memphis. He had made his dream come true making his professional debut. The Heat were 1-0 to start their championship pursuit, and Simien was officially part of “15 Strong.”

THE BEGINNING OF THE END

Houston Rockets center Yao Ming (11) stretches to rebound a loose ball as Miami Heat’s Wayne Simien tries to gain control of the ball in the second half of the Thursday, Nov. 10, 2005, game in Miami. The Heat won, 88-84. (AP Photo/J. Pat Carter)

Simien would see action in 43 regular season games, starting two of them. He averaging 3.4 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.6 minutes per contest. His postseason action consisted of three minutes against the Chicago Bulls in Game 3 of the first round. He played five minutes against the New Jersey Nets in the 111-89 blowout victory during Game 2 of that Eastern Conference semifinal matchup.

Simien went 0-for-3 from the field and didn’t score any points in either game, but he did grab a rebound against the Nets.

He didn’t play at all in the East Finals against the Pistons or NBA Finals vs. the Mavericks, but it didn’t matter. He was an NBA champion and would go on to marry Katie two weeks later on July 8, 2006.

Simien had never even kissed Katie for seven months before his wedding day “as a way to honor her”. They would go on to have five kids.

The 2006-07 season saw him be relegated after he missed the entire Summer League having contracted salmonella. Riley clearly didn’t trust him, and the “Disease of More” corrupted the team. Simien would barely score a total of 23 points in eight games. He didn’t play at all in the playoffs as the Heat got unceremoniously swept by the Bulls in the first round.

Simien would be a part of the Antoine Walker and Michael Doleac trade to Minnesota for Ricky Davis and Mark Blount prior to the 2007-08 season. The Timberwolves waived him shortly thereafter.

A NEW CHAPTER IN HIS LIFE

Simien would never play another minute in the NBA. He went on to join Spanish team Cáceres in 2008 after another American player had been kicked off the team for an incident with the police. Katie used to live in Spain, so they moved there with their by then two children.

However, that overseas adventure didn’t fulfill him. He officially retired as a basketball player in his prime as a 26-year-old in 2009. Simien went back home to Kansas. He spent the next decade being the campus pastor and helping youth sports though his “Called to Greatness” initiative.

His number 23 was retired at Kansas in January 2011. It’s up in the rafters next to Kirk Hinrich’s number 10 and legendary announcer’s Max Fankelstein’s number 60. Everything had come full circle. He was at peace when he spoke to a sold-out crowd at Allen Field House during his jersey retirement ceremony.

“I really hope that my legacy will be more than just about a guy who scored a bunch of points and grabbed a bunch of rebounds, but rather about someone whose life was miraculously transformed by Jesus Christ during my time here (in Kansas).”

He found a purpose beyond basketball, and with that he found true happiness.

Oh, by the way, not a single Heat player ever collected a dollar from the Simien bets.

 

 

 

 

 

Villanova’s Jeff Manto reinvents himself at South Florida summer league

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For players like Villanova’s Jeff Manto, the South Florida Collegiate Baseball League serves as a proving ground for reinvention.

Manto has largely been a backup infielder with the Wildcats, batting .102 in 52 career games and 32 starts. Despite batting .150 in six games in his shortened junior season, he slugged his first two career home runs, showing potential for power.

This summer, Manto is batting .324 in 16 games for the Delray Beach Lightning, exclusively as a catcher. He batted .202 the previous summer with the Lightning, trying to incorporate the new position while mainly patrolling the hot corner and second base. 

“I worked on it a little last summer but this summer is the first time I’m strictly catching,” Manto said.

Jeff Manto, the Catcher

The position change in search for a rare opportunity to crack the starting lineup may have led to Manto’s breakout. His junior season was cut short before the potential was realized. He started all six of the games he played and each of his three hits led to an RBI. His two home runs came during the Snowbird Classic in Port Charlotte. The first homer came against Eastern Michigan and the other against Western Michigan. 

The Wildcats were 5-1 during Manto’s starts (9-5 overall) and the Lightning are second in the league in wins with 12, tied with the Palm Beach Diamond Ducks for the top spot in the North Division Standings. To Manto, summer ball doesn’t make up for his lost spring season but the rare opportunity to play at a time where everyone else is reeling from the pandemic is still something he doesn’t take for granted.

“Obviously the spring season is more competitive,” Manto said. “There’s a chance to win a Big East championship, go to the regionals and stuff like that but this is awesome. I’m really grateful to be a part of this. A lot of kids aren’t playing right now and I am. There’s a waiting list for this league so whatever it takes.”

It helps for Manto to have players in the SFCBL coming from the same area he’s from. There are a handful of players from Eastern Pennsylvania schools in the league. He has a teammate with the Lightning from Lafayette College. One of the catchers with the Florida Pokers, another playoff contending team, plays at the University of Pennsylvania. Lehigh University sent four players to the SFCBL. It’s lead to moments of bonding, whether it’s in the weight room or hotel.

“It’s always cool to have someone that’s going through the same thing as you are,” Manto said, “especially coming down here in Florida. It’s a whole different culture playing baseball.”

Like Father, Like Son

Manto originally entered Villanova as a third baseman just like his father. Manto’s dad played in the big leagues for nine years with eight different teams, three of which went to the Wold Series. The senior Manto played college ball at Temple before being drafted by the California Angels in 1985. Safe to say the father-son dynamic provides a parallel path. 

“Being around baseball my entire life, I loved it right away. So he definitely influenced me in the beginning,” Manto said. “I do want to follow in his footsteps and obviously play play professional baseball later on in life.”

It’s one thing to play in front of your father with a strong sense of desire and pressure to impress. It’s another when your father was a pro in the sport he’s watching you play. Unlike the Florida Collegiate Summer League in central Florida, the SFCBL allows fans to come to the games, so long as they bring their own seat. Which means Jeff Manto can continue playing in front of his father this year despite it potentially not being possible due to the viral outbreak erasing college sports in the spring.

“Sometimes it gets a little nerve racking because you want to do well in front of him, try to live up to expectations and being like him,” Manto said. “When I got used to it and just do my own thing, it’s pretty awesome to have him by.”

The SFCBL season runs through this month with the playoffs following the final regular season game on July 30.