MIAMI — It's the Miami Heat's 2016-17 preseason home opener, and newly minted franchise face Hassan Whiteside is rummaging through his bag of tricks like the last player to hold this position did.
The 7-footer's first home stint as a $98 million man lasts just shy of nine minutes. He's already scored on two dunks, a layup, a tip-in, a free throw and a hook shot. His stat sheet also shows five rebounds—two fewer than the Brooklyn Nets have as a team—plus a steal and a block.
By night's end, Whiteside's stat line stretches as far as one of Dwyane Wade's old gems. All five primary categories are present—21 points, 14 boards, four blocks, one steal and one assist. It took Whiteside all of 23 minutes to post the line, which was reached only seven times last season and never in less than 37 minutes.
"I think that's something that makes myself unique that I can score and I can defend," Whiteside explains. "You got guys at the 5 position that can score, but they can't guard a shoebox. And then you got guys that are really great defenders, but they can't score on a shoebox. I just want to be balanc ...
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Article written by Zach Buckley
Miami Heat Insider: Hassan Whiteside Looks Like $98 Million Bargain
October 21st, 2016 by Zach Buckley Leave a reply »
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