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Two days after the Miami Heat swerved to waive Darius Days and signed forward Jamal Cain as the team’s newest two-way player, the rookie got a dose of humility from the franchise’s biggest star, Jimmy Butler.
Butler is well-known for his biting humor and no-frills demeanor and is likely the most intimidating player for the team’s rookies to meet. So, when the six-time All-Star and Cain went one-on-one at practice on Tuesday, October 11, Butler showed no mercy.
“Not too many people can beat me one-on-one. He damn sure can’t do it,” Butler said with a smile, as reported by Sun Sentinel‘s Ira Winderman. “Some people have an opportunity. But one-one-one, like get a bucket, get a stop? That’s what I do.”
The 23-year-old forward, like Butler, attended Marquette University but transferred to Oakland for his final season of eligibility. After getting passed over during the 2022 NBA Draft, Cain signed an Exhibit-10 contract with the Heat in July. But after his explosive performance throughout Miami’s first three preseason games, Cain averaged 12 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 assists while shooting 53.8% shooting from the field and 44.4% on threes — the Heat upgraded his contract.
The 6-foot-7 forward highly impressed the Heat’s front office and Butler, who sent a strong message to the undrafted rookie when asked if the respect Cain earned during the preseason was earned. “Without a doubt,” Butler said. “He’s been playing incredibly well right now. He’s trying to prove his worth in this league, which I think he’s an NBA player. He rebounds. He guards. He’s actually shooting the ball incredibly well right now, and he listens.
“I think that’s the biggest thing to do whenever you’re coming into a team with vets and even younger guys, you’ve got to be able to learn and play that role. He’s doing that greatly.”
Cain has also received high praise from Heat’s All-star center Bam Adebayo. “This is Jamal Cain,” Adebayo said after the rookie’s 19-point performance against the Brooklyn Nets on October 6. “Realize who this is. He’s gonna be in the league for a long time. This is my dawg man.”
Cain Once Again Excelled During the Heat’s Preseason Game on Monday Night
Cain proved the Heat did not make a mistake with his contract during Miami’s preseason game against the Houston Rockets on Monday, October 10. In 31 minutes of play, he scored 15 points along with six rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Cain, who shot 1-of-3 from beyond the arc, knows he can be more effective on threes.
“Yeah, it’s crazy. I was talking to one of my guys about that,” Cain said after the game, per Sports Illustrated. “I didn’t get a chance to show off my three-ball but I’m more confident now, especially now that I can space the floor now. Rather than in college.”
His three-point percentage dipped from 37% during his final year in Marquette to 29% with Oakland.
“I could always shoot. It’s just my past year, I was more like playing inside the paint,” Cain said of his senior year with the Golden Grizzlies, during which he averaged 19.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, 1.83 steals per game while shooting 49.9% from the field and 84.1% on free throws.
Cain Knew Miami Would be the ‘Perfect’ Place for Him
A key aspect of what separates Heat Culture from the rest of its league is its proven developmental program for undrafted players. Merely naming players from the current roster — Max Strus, Gabe Vincent, and Duncan Robinson — they are prime examples of how the Heat successfully molds overlooked players, and that’s exactly why Cain knew Miami was the “perfect” place for him to land.
“The coaches liked me. It was tough. A lot of conditioning, but I was expecting that with the Miami culture and stuff like that. How hard they go. The workout was good. I felt good about it,” Cain told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of his pre-NBA workout with the Heat.
While he was forced to sit out during the main summer league in Las Vegas after contracting COVID-19, he received Exhbiti-10 offers from the Heat and Orlando Magic, but the decision was easy.
“I wanted to be with Miami,” Cain said. “Because I felt like they develop players better. They have a nice culture and they win. It was kind of a no-brainer for me. And I’ve been playing with them already.”
“Players with potential that might not have the hype around them, I feel like they give them a great opportunity,” Cain added. “And I feel like that was perfect for me because I didn’t have a lot of hype. But I feel like I can bring a lot to the table, just in terms of my competitiveness and my athletic ability and being able to guard multiple positions and being able to knock down open shots.”
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