Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro has worked really hard not to miss a game this season. Could his efforts be fueled by wanting to prove Pat Riley wrong?
The Heat star has played in all 38 of the team’s games so far in the 2024-25 campaign and has averaged career-highs across the board. The 24-year-old has averaged 24.0 points on 46.9% shooting to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 5.1 assists.
Riley’s comments from last year may have something to do with Herro’s breakout year. The Heat president called Herro “fragile” during the team’s end-of-season interviews in May.
Herro was asked this week about the “fragile” comment. It’s safe to say he has not forgotten about it.
“I don’t need anyone to tell me I’m fragile or I haven’t played as many games,” Herro told the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang.
“I’m aware of what’s going on. I know I missed the last two seasons, with the hand injury and half the season last year. I’ve seen the comments coach Riley said. In my own world, I was going to try to play more games on my own either way. I took his words, obviously, into consideration and used it as motivation as I always do.”
When it comes to NBA executives, Riley operates in a realm of his own. Very few execs would ever dare to label their own players as “fragile.” But even fewer have the resume and gravitas that Riley does.
Herro shared that he’s been a lot more conscious this year about staying in shape. He played in just 42 games last season and has yet to eclipse the 67 game mark in his career. Herro has even admitted to playing through an injury he suffered after his on-court scuffle with Amen Thompson.
If Riley’s comments were a motivational tactic to get Herro to work on his body, it’s seemingly worked to perfection. However, it does not sound like Herro appreciated getting called out publicly by his boss.
Herro’s comments also came just as Riley’s public beef with Jimmy Butler is nearing a crescendo.
