Getty Former UNLV 7-foot center Brandon McCoy has joined the Miami Heat's summer league roster.
The Miami Heat filled out their summer league roster on Wednesday by adding 7-footer Brandon McCoy. The new big man will take the spot vacated by Precious Achiuwa and join the team at the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel first reported the move. McCoy, a Chicago native, spent last year in the Basketball League of Serbia following a two-year stint with the Wisconsin Herd, the NBA G League affiliate for the Milwaukee Bucks. He averaged 7.4 points and 5.8 rebounds in 67 games while shooting 46% from the field.
The Heat have added Brandon McCoy to their summer-league roster, a 7-footer who went undrafted out of UNLV in 2018 and has played in the G League and Serbia since. He takes Precious Achiuwa’s spot on the Heat summer roster.
McCoy is a massive human being – 7-foot, 250 pounds, with a 7’2.5 wingspan and 9’1.5 standing reach – who can fill up the paint and make life difficult for opposing centers. On offense, he can excel on the pick-and-roll when paired together with a mobile point guard. He played only one year at UNLV where he earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year honors, yet went undrafted in 2018 after foregoing his sophomore eligibility.
Why did everyone pass? There were concerns over his defense and outside shooting, according to the Las Vegas Sun.
UNLV struggled defensively with McCoy on the floor in 2017-18, and he did not display much of an outside shot during the season, attempting just nine 3-pointers and making three. He shot better during team workouts leading up to the draft, but not enough to entice an NBA franchise to select him.
Prior to that, McCoy was a standout prep star at Cathedral Catholic High School in San Diego. He also won a bronze medal for Team USA as a member of the 2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.
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Strong Bond with DeAndre Ayton
Digging around for highlights of McCoy turns back one major result, a 2017 epic overtime game between Arizona and UNLV. McCoy scored 33 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for the Runnin’ Rebels in a 91-88 loss. But he went toe to toe against DeAndre Ayton (28 points, 10 rebounds), the Arizona big man who would go No. 1 overall in the 2018 NBA draft.
Quick look at Deandre Ayton’s tremendous offensive performance against Brandon McCoy and UNLV last night. Unbelievable blend of physical tools + skill. Ayton takes on elite rim protector Rob Williams and Texas A&M in PHX on Tuesday.
Their relationship began way before college, not far from the sunny beaches of San Diego. They shared a room in a house out there as eighth-graders and bonded over basketball for one year. McCoy and Ayton were inseparable, according to Mark Zeigler of the San Diego Union-Tribune, and shared a surrogate mother.
“They talked about playing in high school together and then in college,” says Chaundra Temple-Young, who served as their surrogate mother that year told Zeigler. “Can you imagine if they had stayed together. I mean, if you could just imagine. They would have been a force to be reckoned with, and they would have had a heck of a story to tell.”
Deandre Ayton, Brandon McCoy and the story of Balboa City School t.co/2vjRPaqtUl
Heat Beat Lakers 80-78 in Sacramento
The Heat opened play in the California Classic Summer League on Tuesday with an 80-78 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Omer Yurtseven scored a game-high 27 points for Miami, with four other Heat players landing in double figures: Dru Smith (11), D.J. Stewart Jr. (11), Marcus Garrett (10), Javonte Smart (10).
🔥 27 Pts
🔥 19 Rebs
🔥 Hit game winning FT’s
The squad was back in action on Wednesday night against the Golden State Warriors. They’ll head to Las Vegas next for at least four games in the MGM Resorts NBA Summer League tournament. Assistant coach Mailk Allen is leading the team.