Promising Young Big Man Struggling to Find Minutes for Heat

Omer Yurtseven, Miami Heat

Getty Omer Yurtseven against the Milwaukee Bucks, in the Miami Heat's season opener.

Omer Yurtseven, the 23-year-old big-man out of Turkey, was an undrafted prospect originally given an NBA lifeline by the Oklahoma City Thunder, before signing with the Miami Heat after an impressive 2021-22 NBA Summer League showing.

NBA.com tracked Yurtseven during his California Classic appearances for Miami, where the big-man averaged 26 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists over two games, shooting 54.1% from the field and 45.5% from deep. Obviously, a 6-foot-11 big man with high-level NCAA experience (he attended Georgetown) who can stretch the floor will always be an intriguing prospect to a franchise’s fans.

Yurtseven is no different.

However, operating on a team with a defined big-man rotation, Yurtseven is finding opportunities difficult to come by. Bam Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon, the two veteran centers within the rotation. Coach Erik Spoelstra has little rotation time available to afford developmental minutes to the floor-stretching Yurtseven.

“The Heat are not going away from Bam Adebayo as their starting center, and Erik Spoelstra certainly has shown that he is not playing Adebayo and Dewayne Dedmon together. So that means that Dewayne will remain the big body of choice when needed. From the start of camp, Spoelstra has made clear that this largely will be a developmental season for Omer,” Ira Winderman wrote in his recent “ASK IRA” segment at the South Florida Sun Sentinel.


Yurtseven Showing Flashes When Given Court Time

It’s in a fan’s nature to overreact when something fun happens; it’s the reason we watch sports – to cheer on our beloved team and gasp in disbelief when the impossible becomes plausible. Yurtseven provided Heat fans with one of those moments in early November when he scored on Los Angeles Lakers All-Star Anthony Davis.

That basket was Yurtseven’s only one of the night, but the fact it came against Davis was enough to send Miami Twitter into a meltdown. Yurtseven has played under 30 minutes of basketball for the Heat this season and has recorded five DNP’s over the team’s first 14 games.  Yet, a 4-of-6 outing on opening night, coupled with an impressive bucket against one of the league’s best big-men, has Heat fans dreaming of a high-upside big figuring out a role for himself within the Heat’s rotation.

And while fans certainly believe in Yurtseven, it would seem he also believes in himself, as he told Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinal, “I think this is where I want to be at ultimately. And I think that I’m adjusting to it and doing whatever is necessary to conquer this beast.”

Over his 9 games with the Heat thus far, Yurtseven is averaging 1.9 points, 0.9 rebounds, and 0.1 blocks per game in 3.4 minutes of playing time, Per Basketball-Reference.


Miami Has a Track Record of Developing Talent

Irrespective of frustration with Yurtseven’s current playing time, Heat fans are well aware of the franchise’s track record with developing under-the-radar talent. Kendrick Nunn and Max Strus have come through their ranks in just the last few years, starting as undrafted rookies before earning their way in the NBA. Heck, Nunn is now on the Lakers roster, hoping to contend for a championship at the end of the season.

Yurtseven is just another project in a long line of successful player development. And while the big-mans playing time may be limited, getting to learn from Spoelstra and his coaching staff and going up against Adebayo in training will be incredibly important for his development throughout the season.

According to Spotrac, Dedmon’s contract is a one-year deal, meaning that if Yurtseven continues to develop his game and impress the coaching staff, he could find himself playing his way into the rotation next season and earning a guaranteed deal as a result.

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