Ryan Conwell didn’t need long to answer the noise after a quiet preseason opener.
The former Louisville guard, now with the Miami Heat, exploded in Miami’s 125-124 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, finishing with 22 points, nine assists, five rebounds and two steals in 32 minutes. It was the kind of all-around showing that immediately grabs a coach’s attention, and it came just a game after Conwell scored six points in 18 minutes against the Raptors.
That first outing left room for more, and Conwell delivered it in a big way. He led Miami in scoring and played the most minutes of anyone on the team in the second half, making a clear case for a spot in Erik Spoelstra’s rotation.
Conwell was efficient enough to control the game without forcing it, and he looked comfortable doing more than just scoring. The second-round pick, taken No. 37 overall by Miami in the 2026 NBA Draft, also showed the passing chops that made him such a standout at Louisville and in summer league.
After the game, Conwell explained the mindset that drives him.
“I mean, it’s a blessing to just be in the position that I am in,” stated Conwell after his impressive preseason performance. “Everything matters.
It doesn’t matter the game; whether it’s preseason, regular season, or practice, it all matters. Just for them to look at me in that regard, at that moment in the game, I am thankful for it, and I am ready for it as well.
I have put a lot of work in the gym every single day, and I embrace the moments, and I feel like I thrive in those moments.”
Louisville fans already know the production isn’t a fluke. Conwell was one of Kelsey’s best players last season, leading the Cardinals with 18.8 points per game while shooting 40.8 percent from the field. He also averaged 4.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.1 steals across 34 games, giving Louisville far more than just scoring.
That mix showed up again against Minnesota. Conwell looked like a scorer, a creator and a player who can settle in as a useful bench piece if the Heat keep giving him chances.
Miami gets another look at him Wednesday, October 14, against Mikel Brown Jr. and the Brooklyn Nets. For Conwell, the next test is right in front of him, and this performance was exactly the kind of response he needed.
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Florida has already gotten a visit, and Browns calendar now includes stops at Kentucky, Oklahoma and Texas, which is where the real pressure starts for Louisville. Brohm landed the hometown headline commitment, but Browns final decision is far from settled, and the Cardinals now have to protect a prized local pledge against a national recruiting sweep that is still very much in motion. [Read more 🡒]
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Louisville Has A Chance To Prove The Florida State Win Meant Something
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Now the question is whether that victory was a turning point or just a solid night against a name opponent. Louisville gets another chance to back it up against Syracuse, and the rest of the season will keep offering those same little checkpoints the FPI tracks game by game, measuring whether the Cardinals are truly building something or simply bouncing back for the moment. [Read more 🡒]