Unlike the vast majority of NBA players, Dorell
Wright is still growing.
He was six-foot-seven when the Miami Heat drafted him out of
Connecticut's South Kent Prep in 2004, and didn't grow much during
his first two seasons as a little-used reserve.
Yet this past summer, the 20-year-old Wright got noticeably
taller, reporting for camp at nearly 6-9.
``I'm not done,'' Wright said. ``I think I should be six-foot-10
by the time I'm done.''
When the defending NBA champions open their pre-season schedule
Tuesday in San Juan against the Detroit Pistons, Wright is hoping
he'll get a chance to show that his game has grown, too.
The Heat didn't practice Sunday, taking the day instead to travel
to Puerto Rico, where they'll practise Monday. Miami coach Pat Riley
has indicated that many of the Heat's regulars _ including Shaquille
O'Neal and Dwyane Wade _ won't log major minutes during the
pre-season, meaning there will likely be ample opportunity for
younger players like Wright to make their mark.
``I'm ready. I've been going the whole summertime,'' Wright said.
``I play basketball year-round. It's going to be hard, but I'm
grinding and grinding and grinding. I'm patiently waiting. I waited
my two years. Now I think it's my turn to get a chance and show
everybody that I can help my team defend the title.''
Wright is the only player the Heat has ever drafted straight out
of high school, and he's shown flashes of great potential in limited
_ extremely limited _ opportunities over his first two seasons.
He averaged 13 points in the two pre-season games when he got
substantial playing time last season, then started the final two
games of the regular season while Riley rested many regulars. In
those road matchups against Atlanta and Boston, Wright made 12 of 21
shots, 12 of 14 free throws and averaged 19.5 points and seven
rebounds while alternating between playing small forward and point
guard.
The key to Wright's future development, Riley said, is easy to
identify.
``It's going to take time on the court. I'm going to have to give
it to him,'' Riley said. ``That's going to be the first step, is
that somewhere you've just to throw the kid out in the fire for 20,
30, 40 games and live with the good and live with the bad. I haven't
made that commitment yet.''
Virtually every member of last season's rotation is back this
season, meaning Wright _ who made 18 appearances in mop-up duty last
season before getting the two late starts _ will have a difficult
time finding minutes.
But he's got at least one Heat regular rooting for him.
``I think he's improved a lot,'' said Wade, the MVP of last
season's NBA final. ``I think he'll get a chance. I think he's
deserves a chance and I think a lot of our younger guys can help
us.''
Obviously, Wright would agree with those sentiments.
``I'm getting smarter out there. Not only for myself, I'm making
plays for my team,'' Wright said. ``And my defence has gotten a
whole lot better. But I'm not satisfied. I'll keep working.''
