Miami Heat: Kendrick Nunn is a perfect example of Next Man Up

After being benched for the Miami Heat’s first three games in the NBA playoffs, Kendrick Nunn came alive during their Game 4 win over the Indiana Pacers.

Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn is no stranger to setbacks.

After all, the Chicago-native went undrafted in 2018 and was passed over by the Golden State Warriors, when they released him after a brief Summer League stint.

Still, Nunn persevered; he made a name for himself during his time in the G-League, catching President Pat Riley’s eye, who ultimately signed him in April 2019.

And for a while, it seemed as though Nunn finally found some consistency in his career.

But fast-forward past him breaking the record for most points over his first five games as an undrafted player, being named Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month on three different occasions and being named to the 2020 NBA All-Star Rising Stars Game, and the 25-year-old was met with a different set of challenges.

For starters, he was one of three Miami players to test positive for COVID-19, alongside Bam Adebayo and Derrick Jones Jr. And although he described his symptoms as mild and like “a common cold,” it delayed his arrival to the NBA Bubble.

Subsequently, Nunn had to then leave during the team’s seeding games for an unrelated issue, giving him even less time to acclimate to the new environment.

The sharp-shooter didn’t look so great during his prior limited time on the court in Orlando, either.

Over his five appearances, Nunn averaged only 10.8 points on 31.3 percent shooting from the field, going an even more surprising 20.7 percent from downtown. He seemed a step behind on every play, on both ends of the floor, and overall not up to par with the Heat’s top-tier level of conditioning.

So, unfortunately, he lost his starting role to veteran Goran Dragic and saw no time in any of Miami’s first three games in the NBA playoffs.

But while some players might have let this demotion get to them, the rookie just stayed ready. And when they needed him in Game 4, he came through, providing high-energy and smart plays in the form of seven points, three rebounds and two assists.

In other words, Nunn perfectly demonstrated the organization’s Next Man Up mentality.

"“I’m proud of him,” Adebayo said of his teammate. “I’ve really been talking to him a little bit, telling him to stay locked in because you never know when your time could be.”"

Jimmy Butler, who was in part responsible for Nunn entering the game, because he was dealing with a strained shoulder, echoed the same sentiment.

"“…you never know when his name was going to be called. But the pro that he is, the way he’s been paying attention to the game plan, the way he’s still been working on his game, he was ready. That’s all you can ask of our young guys.”"

What Kendrick Nunn’s role will look like moving forward, is anyone’s guess. But fans best believe he’ll rise to any challenge.