Tre Donaldson’s next stop comes with a familiar feel and a new challenge.
The former Miami guard has officially signed a two-way contract with the Heat, and his first NBA Summer League action is set for Friday at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN against the San Antonio Spurs in the three-game California Classic in San Francisco. After that, he’ll move on to Las Vegas, where Miami begins play on July 10.
Donaldson isn’t walking into summer league trying to make a grand statement. He said his focus is simpler than that.
"I'm not looking to prove nothing," Donaldson said. "Just to solidify, to back up that I'm a great point guard, that I can control the game and do what my coaches and my teammates need me to do."
That confidence comes off a senior year at Miami that put him firmly on the radar. Donaldson posted career-best numbers across the board, averaging 16.4 points, 3.6 rebounds and 5.7 assists while earning All-ACC Second Team honors. He helped push the Hurricanes to a 26-9 season and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Heat summer league head coach Wayne Ellington said Donaldson has already shown the kind of traits that travel well.
"One thing that has really stuck out to me is his competitiveness," Ellington said. "He's a competitor.
You saw that from him at University of Miami and he's doing it now. Another another skill set that he has, as a point guard is he's very vocal.
He's done a great job getting guys organize, getting them in place and that's what you want. That's what you want from your point guard.
So those are two things that he's continued to do for us at Summer League that he's done for University of Miami as well. And then he has a high IQ.
He has a good understanding of the game. He's picking up on things pretty quickly."
Miami didn’t come out of nowhere for Donaldson after the draft. Once he went undrafted, the Heat connection surfaced quickly, and the fit made sense to him.
"The Heat culture I feel like is the biggest thing," Donaldson said. "I like to win and they do a lot of that.
So just trying to be a part of that, trying to develop, understanding what I need to do for myself and my future. And I'm just trying to get better and they do that really well.
That's what I was looking forward to."
He was already paying attention to the Heat while at Miami, and not casually. Donaldson said he followed the team closely during the season and made a point of watching as much basketball as he could.
"I'm basketball junkie," Donaldson said. "I don't watch no TV so I try to stick to the games as much as possible. Obviously we were in season as well, but I would get over there to watch as many games (as possible) and I watched most off them on TV as well so I watched a lot."
His pre-draft workout with the Heat also left a mark.
"It'll probably be the workout I'll never forget," Donaldson said. "I had gotten delayed a couple times, coming off a red-eye, no sleep.
Straight from the airport and straight to the gym and it was probably the best red-eye I ever took. Just seeing Pat Riley for the first time, coach Spo (Erik Spoelstra) and all of those guys, it was super, super exciting so I think that was what gave me the energy to finish the workout and have a good one."
Donaldson’s path should help him handle another new setting. He spent four years across three schools - Auburn, Michigan and Miami - and he believes that experience has made him easier to plug into different systems.
"I feel like it eases the process going into this, just being able to adapt," Donaldson said. This NBA game is a lot different.
You'll never know how different games call for different things. So just being able to adapt is the biggest thing I've taken from my three different stops.
But looking back I'm super grateful for those three different stops because I learned so much. Discipline from Bruce Pearl and he instills that into you early and then just the savviness of Dusty May and the fast pace that Jai Lucas brings to his offense as well."
Miami’s summer league slate starts with the Spurs and continues with games against the Los Angeles Lakers on July 5 at 4:30 p.m., the Golden State Warriors on July 6 at 10:00 p.m., the Milwaukee Bucks on July 10 at 4:00 p.m., the Orlando Magic on July 11 at 3:30 p.m., the Cleveland Cavaliers on July 13 at 8:00 p.m. and the Toronto Raptors on July 16 at 9:00 p.m., before tournament games in Las Vegas from July 17-19.
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