Eight former Miami Heat players crack Bleacher Report’s top-100 list! (Jesse D. Garrabrant/Getty Images)
Whittling down the greatest NBA players of all-time to just 100 over the league’s 79 years is a tough task, considering how many great players span across every era.
Well, that’s what Bleacher Report did this week, releasing a top-100 consensus list. While we may agree to disagree on multiple rankings, eight former Heat players made their list. Who were they? Let’s examine!
87. Alonso Mourning
Pat Riley’s first big move, while seen as controversial at the time, was trading Glen Rice for Alonzo Mourning when he arrived in 1995. And boy, did he not regret it. Mourning was the backbone to the late 1990s Heat teams, winning Defensive Player of the Year twice while averaging 19.8 points and 9.7 rebounds.
He became ill in the early 2000s and had to step away from basketball, but returned to Miami in 2004-05 (thank you, New Jersey!) and helped the Heat win their first title in 2006 — he was as resilient a player as you will find.
83. Jimmy Butler
You could make a strong argument that Butler, who was traded to Golden State in February, is the third-greatest player in Miami Heat history. He helped lead them to a pair of NBA Finals appearances from 2019-20 and 2022-23, averaging 21.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 steals in six seasons with the Heat. Though his tenure in South Florida ended on a very sour note, spoiling what was a beautiful partnership between two sides that needed each other.
71. Chris Bosh
Bosh’s career ultimately ended prematurely due to blood clots; he would’ve been higher on this list, had he remained healthy.
Nevertheless, Bosh was crucial to the Heat’s Big 3 with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade (more on them below), averaging 18.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in six seasons with the Heat from 2010-16.
53. Gary Payton
The Glove! Payton was an insanely gifted defender and, like Ray Allen (more on him below), played his final two seasons with the Heat. His role wasn’t big in Miami, but the Hall of Famer still contributed to its first-ever championship in 2006.
51. Ray Allen
Allen made one of the most clutch shots in NBA History with the Heat in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals. You know which one I’m talking about.
Allen, who played 18 NBA seasons (final two with Miami), is one of the best shooters of all-time, as he’s fourth all-time in total made 3s, converting them at a 40.0 percent clip. He won two titles (one with the Heat) and averaged 18.9 points throughout his storied career.
23. Dwyane Wade
Wade, widely known as the greatest player in Miami Heat history, is the franchise’s all-time leader in scoring, assists, steals and made field goals. He is also one of three players in NBA History to tally at least 20,000 career points, 5,000 assists, 4,000 rebounds, 1,500 steals, 800 blocks and 500 3-point makes. A part of me believes he should be a top-20 player, but I digress.
6. Shaquille O’Neal
O’Neal’s time with the Heat wasn’t as special as when he three-peated with the Lakers. But the burly 7-foot-1 big man still helped lead the Heat to their first-ever title, while also finishing second in MVP voting when he first arrived in Miami in 2004-05.
2. LeBron James
There’s no question that James is one of the greatest basketball ever to step foot on planet Earth.
The 21-time All-Star won his first titles with the Heat in 2011-12 and 2012-13, averaging 26.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.7 steals in four seasons with Miami. You argue that “The King” played the best basketball of his life with the Heat, winning MVP twice while making All-Defensive first team in three of his four seasons in South Florida.
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For their full list, click here!
How would you grade their rankings? What would you change about Bleacher Report’s rankings? Let us know in the comments!
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