Getty Former Miami Heat PG Norris Cole handles the ball during a 2022 exhibition game between Maccabi Ra'anana and the LA Clippers.
The Miami Heat accomplished their mission during the first leg of their second-round series with the New York Knicks, splitting Games 1 and 2 at MSG and, in turn, stealing home-court advantage away from Julius Randle and Co. Meanwhile, a key member of Miami’s last championship squad is embarking on a mission of his own.
Namely, point guard Norris Cole, who’s suddenly on the hunt for a new spot to ply his hardwood trade and, hopefully, catch the eye of NBA decision-makers in the process.
As announced by the league on Thursday, Atleticos de San German of the Puerto Rican Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) have officially parted ways with the 34-year-old in order to clear a spot for returning combo guard Nate Mason.
Cole appeared in 17 games (all starts) for San German this season, averaging 14.4 points, 6.0 assists and 3.2 rebounds per contest. However, he had yet to hit his stride on the perimeter, connecting on just 40.4% of his field-goal attempts and 30.8% of his attempts from three-point range.
Ex-Heat Guard Norris Cole Is Eyeing One Last Run in the NBA
It has been a hot minute since Cole has done his thing at the NBA level. After getting traded by the Heat to the New Orleans Pelicans during the 2014-15 campaign and spending parts of two seasons in the Big Easy, he played 13 games with the Oklahoma City Thunder during the 2016-17 campaign.
Since then, he has been perhaps the ultimate example of a basketball vagabond.
Between 2017 and now, the Cleveland State product has spent time with San German, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Ra’anana (Israel), Sidigas Avellino (Italy), KK Buducnost (Montenegro), Monaco, ASVEL and JL Bourg (France), Unicaja Malaga (Spain) and the G League’s Grand Rapids Gold.
He also played for USA Basketball’s FIBA AmeriCup entry last summer. Cole’s ultimate goal continues to be a return to the Association, though.
“I enjoyed my time overseas but right now my goal is to play in the NBA,” Cole told SI’s Inside the Heat in January amid his run with the Gold. “I want to give it every chance that I have to get back in. I’m willing to make the sacrifice of turning down bigger contracts overseas to play in the G League and give it a chance to get back up.”
Over parts of four seasons with the LeBron James-Dwyane Wade-Chris Bosh Heat from 2011-15, Cole appeared in 274 regular-season games and averaged 6.2 points, 2.6 assists and 1.8 rebounds in 21.9 minutes per contest with 41-32-73 shooting splits. Along the way, he captured a pair of championship rings.
Cole Has Been Racking Up Hall of Fame Inductions in His Homestate of Ohio
Cole has been on something of a victory tour in recent months, receiving honors for his roundball exploits in his native Ohio.
In February, he was officially inducted into the Cleveland State Athletics Hall of Fame. As captured in the G League YouTube series The Break, he credited his run with the Vikings for making his NBA career possible during his enshrinement speech:
More recently, it was announced that Cole would be inducted into the Ohio Basketball Hall of Fame, with an induction ceremony slated for June 10.