With the Miami Heat trading for Giannis Antetokounmpo in a blockbuster deal, there is no doubt that the team’s work in the offseason isn’t over in building a roster around the star. As rumors will surround the Heat regarding who the team will pair next to Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo, the team has found one piece in the form of second-round draft pick Ryan Conwell.
While Miami traded its No. 13 pick in the first round, which ended up being Tennessee’s Nate Ament going to the Milwaukee Bucks, the team still had the No. 41 pick in the second round. However, the team would make the trade up to No. 37 with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the 41st pick and cash considerations.
This fills a need for the team, as if there is one thing that Conwell is known for, it’s being a sharpshooter, which was needed after making the Antetokounmpo trade. To go along with his noticeable toughness on the court, Miami feels like the perfect destination.
“I think my personality fits the culture of the team, and I’ll fit right in with the other guys on the team. Just my willingness to learn and grow each and every single day,” Conwell said to the media through a Zoom call. “And then I would say just my ability to space the floor, my shooting ability, being able to plug and place me anywhere on the floor, and me just always having that gravity of just drawing some attention. And then just my competitiveness, just on both ends of the floor, just being a dog and just giving all I got defensively and offensively.”
The beginning of his NBA journey
Selected 37th overall before a draft-night trade brought him to the 305
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— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 25, 2026
Ryan Conwell gets the call
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— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) June 25, 2026
The Heat were intentional in acquiring Ryan Conwell
As shooting will still be a need for this Heat team, more so a veteran that could come in and help the front court of Antetokounmpo and Adebayo, especially with the unknown status of Norman Powell, Conwell has the traits to help the team. Conwell has played for four schools in each year of his collegiate career, starting with the University of South Florida in his freshman year, but it’s his sophomore season at Indiana State that saw his game blossom.
While he shot 37.6 percent from three-point range in his career, he would shoot 40.7 percent with Indiana State in 2023-24 on 7.1 attempts per game. In 2024-25 with Xavier, he shot 41.2 percent from deep on 7.1 attempts per game, and lastly in 2025-26 with Louisville, he would record 34.5 percent of his three-point shots made on an increased 9.6 attempts.
Miami’s vice president and assistant general manager, Adam Simon, would even say that the team has a need for shooting and points out Conwell’s strength in that, but also his “processing.”
“Well, clearly we’re trying to identify players that have a shooting skill, and he certainly does,” Simon said. “He’s projected overall as a 37 percent shooter, which would have been in the top percentile of 650 players that we had studied. And his athleticism is off the charts. He’s a competitor, he’s a gym rat, he’s the type of player I know our coaches are going to love, and he’s a great teammate. I think he’ll slot in perfectly.”
“His ability to learn, his cognition, abilities to see the game, to process the game, to have awareness, he graded out pretty high,” Simon continued.
The Heat’s developmental staff will be huge for Ryan Conwell
Simon would add that Conwell “shoots with confidence” and that someone like head coach Erik Spoelstra will only continue that pride in not worrying about missing some attempts.
“Coach [Erik Spoelstra] and our staff will give him the platform to be able to put up shots and not worry about missing. But he can get going. I think moving out to the NBA line won’t affect him. I think he’ll be able to get the space and be able to get his shot off in the NBA,” Simon said.
While the shooting will help this team immediately for the Heat, it will be needed after the trade for Antetokounmpo, but if there is one thing that Miami has done well in the past, it’s develop prospects. Conwell knows this and is ready for the challenge.
“I think I’m going to a great organization that will place me in the right positions to just progressively get better every single day,” Conwell said. “That’s something I’m willing to work toward and do. So I’m super grateful. I’m super thankful to be able to go to such a great organization as this. I truly think it’ll be a two-way street, and we’ll both buy in to make me the best player I can be.”
At any rate, the Heat getting Conwell is likely to be another pick that went under the noses of teams and turn out to be an impact player. Judging by history, that’s a pretty likely bet.
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