The preseason opener in Miami offered a first look at more than just the headline names. While attention naturally tilted toward Giannis Antetokounmpo making his Heat debut and Kawhi Leonard sitting out for Toronto, a handful of rookies and young newcomers also got their first NBA run on Saturday, Oct. 3.
Toronto entered the night with more first-year talent on the floor, but its first-rounder, Allen Graves, did not play in the preseason opener. That left the spotlight on the second-round picks, two-way signee and undrafted players who all had a chance to show something in limited minutes.
The No. 52 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft turned in one of the cleaner stat lines of the night, finishing with nine points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal. He hit 3-of-4 shots overall, went 1-of-1 from 3-point range and made 2-of-4 free throws.
The undrafted free agent had a rougher shooting night, but still found ways to contribute. He posted six points, three rebounds, three assists, four turnovers and a steal while shooting 2-of-10 from the field, 1-of-8 from deep and 1-of-2 from the line.
Another rookie, the No. 37 pick in the 2026 draft, put up six points, two assists, a rebound and a turnover. He shot 3-of-8 from the field and missed all three of his 3-point attempts.
The undrafted two-way signee added six points, three assists, two turnovers, a steal and a block. He finished 1-of-5 from the floor, 0-of-3 from 3 and 4-of-6 at the free throw line.
One undrafted free agent logged two points, six rebounds and a steal, going 1-of-1 from the field.
Another undrafted free agent made the most of his 10 minutes, finishing with 11 points, three rebounds and an assist. He was perfect from the floor at 4-of-4, hit his lone 3-point try and went 2-of-2 from the free throw line.
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