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NEW YORK – Wang Zhi Zhi no longer stands alone as the lone Chinese player to have suited up for the Miami Heat over the franchise’s 37 seasons.
Not with the arrival of Lǐ Kǎi’ěr at the Feb. 6 NBA trading deadline.
Wait, what?
With the Heat only now getting to explore the possibilities of Kyle Anderson, including a solid performance amid flailing by teammates in Saturday night’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at the start of this two-game trip, comes a backstory like few others on Erik Spoelstra’s roster.
No. 20 for the Miami Heat indeed has played for the Chinese national team, with a lineage that dates to family roots in China.
“My mom’s grandfather had moved to Jamaica in the early 1900s,” Anderson explained, with the Heat having moved on to Monday night’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “He had one child in China, but he then had 13 children in Jamaica with a Jamaican woman, and the last of those 13 children was my grandmother.”
So, yes, formally listed a Chinese-American, and therefore eligible for time with China’s national team including a stint at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, having obtained Chinese citizenship ahead of that competition.
“It’s been awesome,” Anderson of the opportunity to further explore his roots through basketball. “They welcomed me with open arms. They were super nice in having me join the team. I was eager to get with them. I spent a month and a half with them in Slovenia and Europe, in Italy, Germany. And we bonded on and off the court.
“Obviously we came up short of our goal of getting to the Olympics. But I had a great time, it was a great experience.”
So, to a significant degree has been this NBA journey that has taken him from 2014 first-round pick out of UCLA to stints with the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors, with playoff appearances in seven seasons, including last year with the Timberwolves.
This season, however, there is the possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020, with the Heat struggling for play-in position.
Nonetheless, as is his upbeat persona, Anderson sees a fit with the Heat, which matters considering he is under contract for two more seasons, albeit with 2026-27 non-guaranteed.
“I feel like I can fit anywhere,” he said. “I’ll be able to figure it out and I think I’m smart enough to see how things are done and be able to do them at a high level.”
What makes him a fit is the lack of pretense.
“I’ve never really even been one of the best players in the country,” he said. “In high school. I only averaged like 16, 17, 18 a game, I’ve always had this style of play, that I play with, and just been able to have success with it.
“I enjoy being out there and I take pride in being able to play in all different positions.”
Having done exactly that with the Heat, playing as guard, forward and center.
While his Chinese name is not known to many, his “Slo Mo” NBA nickname is known to almost all, to the degree that it also is the nomenclature for his Instagram account.
“I studied him a great deal when he came out of the draft and he was a point guard at UCLA,” Spoelstra said. “I just thought it was really unique, a 6-10 guy with not a lot of shooting ability or dynamic speed playing point guard. It just shows you how he processes the game. He can play at his own pace.
“He can make plays, see the plays before they develop, and then he’s not getting rushed into decisions, so he can always make the decision late and usually it’s after the defense makes a mistake.”
While the playing time has been limited since being acquired from the Warriors in the Jimmy Butler trade, Anderson said there has been benefit in that regard.
“Sometimes it takes a little effort off the court, just sit back and watching these other guys doing the good job that they do and try to emulate them and put my spin on it,” he said. “It’s been a lot trying to learn everything. But I think it’s coming together.”
Continue reading...
Not with the arrival of Lǐ Kǎi’ěr at the Feb. 6 NBA trading deadline.
Wait, what?
With the Heat only now getting to explore the possibilities of Kyle Anderson, including a solid performance amid flailing by teammates in Saturday night’s loss to the Memphis Grizzlies at the start of this two-game trip, comes a backstory like few others on Erik Spoelstra’s roster.
No. 20 for the Miami Heat indeed has played for the Chinese national team, with a lineage that dates to family roots in China.
“My mom’s grandfather had moved to Jamaica in the early 1900s,” Anderson explained, with the Heat having moved on to Monday night’s game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. “He had one child in China, but he then had 13 children in Jamaica with a Jamaican woman, and the last of those 13 children was my grandmother.”
So, yes, formally listed a Chinese-American, and therefore eligible for time with China’s national team including a stint at the 2023 FIBA World Cup, having obtained Chinese citizenship ahead of that competition.
“It’s been awesome,” Anderson of the opportunity to further explore his roots through basketball. “They welcomed me with open arms. They were super nice in having me join the team. I was eager to get with them. I spent a month and a half with them in Slovenia and Europe, in Italy, Germany. And we bonded on and off the court.
“Obviously we came up short of our goal of getting to the Olympics. But I had a great time, it was a great experience.”
So, to a significant degree has been this NBA journey that has taken him from 2014 first-round pick out of UCLA to stints with the San Antonio Spurs, Memphis Grizzlies, Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors, with playoff appearances in seven seasons, including last year with the Timberwolves.
This season, however, there is the possibility of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2020, with the Heat struggling for play-in position.
Nonetheless, as is his upbeat persona, Anderson sees a fit with the Heat, which matters considering he is under contract for two more seasons, albeit with 2026-27 non-guaranteed.
“I feel like I can fit anywhere,” he said. “I’ll be able to figure it out and I think I’m smart enough to see how things are done and be able to do them at a high level.”
What makes him a fit is the lack of pretense.
“I’ve never really even been one of the best players in the country,” he said. “In high school. I only averaged like 16, 17, 18 a game, I’ve always had this style of play, that I play with, and just been able to have success with it.
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“I enjoy being out there and I take pride in being able to play in all different positions.”
Having done exactly that with the Heat, playing as guard, forward and center.
While his Chinese name is not known to many, his “Slo Mo” NBA nickname is known to almost all, to the degree that it also is the nomenclature for his Instagram account.
“I studied him a great deal when he came out of the draft and he was a point guard at UCLA,” Spoelstra said. “I just thought it was really unique, a 6-10 guy with not a lot of shooting ability or dynamic speed playing point guard. It just shows you how he processes the game. He can play at his own pace.
“He can make plays, see the plays before they develop, and then he’s not getting rushed into decisions, so he can always make the decision late and usually it’s after the defense makes a mistake.”
While the playing time has been limited since being acquired from the Warriors in the Jimmy Butler trade, Anderson said there has been benefit in that regard.
“Sometimes it takes a little effort off the court, just sit back and watching these other guys doing the good job that they do and try to emulate them and put my spin on it,” he said. “It’s been a lot trying to learn everything. But I think it’s coming together.”
Continue reading...
