Former KU guard Garrett scores 13 points for Miami Heat in 2022 NBA summer debut
Former Kansas men’s basketball combo guard Marcus Garrett showed Saturday at the NBA Summer League that he’s fully recovered from last winter’s surgery on his right wrist.
Garrett, a 23-year-old second year pro from Dallas who is a right-handed shooter, scored 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting (1-of-1 from three) in the Miami Heat’s 88-78 victory over the Boston Celtics in an NBA 2K23 opener for both teams played at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.
Garrett — he played at KU from 2018 to 2021 — hit two of three free throws. He also dished three assists against two turnovers with three rebounds and a steal in 26 minutes.
Garrett signed a two-way contract with the Heat after failing to hear his name called in the 2021 NBA Draft. He was waived by the NBA team in mid-January after it was determined he needed wrist surgery to combat tendinitis in his shooting wrist.
Instead of looking for another team, Garrett rehabbed at the Heat training facilities determined to make the roster or earn a 2-way contract for the 2022-23 season.
Last year he showed promise in totaling 13 points with 23 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocks in 128 minutes over 12 games with the Heat. He also averaged 12.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 5.1 assists a game in eight games for the Heat’s G Legaue affiliate, the Sioux Falls (South Dakota) Sky Force.
“They (Heat) invited me to (see) what happens,” Garrett told the South Florida Sun Sentinel. “I came back to finish off what I started. I like this team, this organization and what they stand for. The way they play is something I want to be a part of. So I’ve just stuck with this team,” he added.
Hampered by his wrist injury, he hit just 23.8% from the field his abbreviated rookie year with Miami. He was a 40.4% shooter in the G League contests.
“The wrist was hurting every day,” Garrett told the Sun Sentinel. “Me getting the surgery helped with it a lot. Now it’s just all love being back.”
Known for his defense, Garrett had one of the most outstanding plays of the day Saturday at summer league.
He picked up Boston’s Brodrick Thomas at 3/4 court and stayed in front of him as Thomas dribbled into the offensive zone. Garrett nearly stole the ball twice, Thomas finally losing the ball out of bounds to the delight of the Miami bench. Heat coach Eric Spoelstra jumped to his feet and cheered Garrett’s effort from the stands where he was watching the action.
“Marcus Garrett and Mychal Mulder (23 points, four rebounds) stood out in the Heat’s summer league win over the Celtics in Las Vegas,” Miami Herald reporter Anthony Chiang wrote after the game on Twitter.
Dotson scores 11 with new team
Former KU point guard Devon Dotson, who played on a 2-way contract with the Chicago Bulls the past two seasons after not being selected in the 2020 NBA Draft, scored 11 points in his summer debut with the Washington Wizards on Saturday in Las Vegas.
The 6-foot-2, 22-year old Dotson hit 4 of 10 shots. He was 1 of 4 from three and just 2 of 7 from the line in the Wizards’ 105-99 loss to Detroit.
Dotson also had four rebounds, three assists, no turnovers and one blocked shot in 25 minutes.
Dotson made a deep three to close the third quarter. He showed his speed in accepting an inbounds pass at 3/4 court with 3.6 seconds to play, He raced to the other end and fired up a three with 0.4 seconds left. The ball swished and cut the Wizards’ deficit to 79-67 entering the fourth quarter.
Dotson averaged 21.3 points, 7.2 assists and 4.7 rebounds a game in 25 games last season for the Bulls’ G League team, the Windy City Bulls. He averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 assists in limited duty in 11 games with the Bulls in 2021-22.
Dotson recently hit five three-pointers and scored 23 points in the Rock Chalk Roundball Classic, a KU alumni game for charity, on June 9 at Free State High School in Lawrence. He attended the Washington Wizards’ minicamp and impressed enough to be invited to play on the Wizards’ summer team.
This story was originally published July 10, 2022 at 1:53 PM.
