Tyler Herro earns first career All-Star appearance

“Tyler is probably the hardest-working guy I’ve ever met,” Heat forward Nikola Jović said. “When I first came here, I saw the … mentality he has. He wants to be the best. He sets that example for what it’s supposed to look like in practices and in shootarounds. … I’ve never seen him take a day off.” -via New York Times / January 30, 2025

That experience has come in handy this year, as Butler has created his own trade-related cacophony in Miami. “Honestly, I think a lot of that stuff helped me. It might sound crazy. I think it allowed me to come in with a clear mindset,” Herro told The Athletic. “There was so much talk (in the summer of 2023) that there was no way I could avoid it. I couldn’t pretend like it wasn’t there. But once I just accepted that there was nothing I could do about it, it made it a lot easier to just focus on hooping. Overall, I think it helped me become a better player.” -via New York Times / January 30, 2025

Heat coach Erik Spoelstra doesn’t lobby for players to make the All-Star Game, noting “that’s just not my style.” But Spoelstra is optimistic that Herro will make the cut. “I do think Tyler should be an All Star,” Spoelstra said. “His play speaks for itself. … I’m hopeful the coaches vote him in. That’s the ultimate respect. Opposing teams have to game plan against him. You have to spend a good deal of time in shootarounds and film sessions developing some kind of specific plan for him. In January, he’s been the most trapped player on pick and rolls. That’s a sign of great respect. His off-ball movement, all of those things have really improved. I think it will happen. I do. His play has been that consistent.” -via Miami Herald / January 29, 2025