Heat Rookie Beats Klay Thompson in Shooting Drill... But That's Not All

Rookie Ryan Conwell has a tough hill to climb to get playing time for the Championship minded Miami Heat this season. After acquiring former NBA finals MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Heat are once again in the National conversation. One of the more underrated story lines going into the season is second round pick Ryan Conwell.

The Pick

Miami moved up in the second round to leapfrog Boston and select him 37th overall. The Heat gave Oklahoma City the 41st pick and cash considerations. The sharp shooting guard out of Louisville is known as a volume shooter.

He averaged 18.8 points per game in his senior season while knocking down 34.5% on high volume at 9.6 attempts per game. The volume crushed his efficiently because the prior seasons he shot 41.3% on 7.1 attempts. He even finished better in the paint with an overall field goal percentage 5% higher than the previous season at 45%.

Training Camp

Miami Heat’s training camp is under way at FAU and Conwell is already turning heads. In an interview Klay Thompson disclosed that Conwell has already beat him once in a three-point shooting drill. Yes, the second-best shooter of all time lost to the smooth shooting lefty.

Klay Thompson impressed w/ rookie Ryan Conwell: He actually beat me in this drill this summer, so I'm a little upset by rook. I was very impressed with Ryan's defense today. He picked up full court. He's in phenomenal shape. He's got a beutiful lefty jumper. I told him to stay… pic.twitter.com/8IGzGKW1I3
— Brendan Tobin (@Brendan_Tobin) September 29, 2026

Klay is currently 25th all time in three-point percentage at 40.9% and 6th in three pointers attempted. There is no better mentor for Conwell to learn from the Former NBA champion who was more than a shooter in his prime. He was a two player that took the challenge defensively night in and night out.

That wasn’t the only head-turning play of the day. The rookie caught Klay’s eye again with his full court defense. He was asked by Brendon Tobin about his thoughts on the rookie and he led with his defense. During the NBA summer league that is what stood out to me also. He also played with his chest, sliding his feet to cut off the ball handler. He got a little handsy as all rookies tend to do but you could see the technique was advanced.

He wasn’t done turning heads when a video surfaced from camp where Giannis poked the ball away and Conwell outraced Dru Smith down the floor, dove on the loose ball and secured it. He had the awareness to find a streaking Giannis for an easy transition dunk. Dru Smith is usually the guy out hustling everyone else and hounding them 94 feet all game. It speaks volumes that the rookie plays the right way being able to out hustle someone that made a career of out hustling others.

That rook to vet connection is looking…🤌

Training Camp // @BaptistHealthSF pic.twitter.com/3ygU7A6hb1
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) September 29, 2026

Outlook

Ryan is an indeed without a doubt a smooth shooting rookie but that alone won’t get him on the floor, not with this team or this Head Coach in Erik Spoelstra. It could earn him some minutes during the dog days of the season, and the vets need some rest.

What will keep him on the floor is the defense and that all out hustle to create extra possessions. If he can do that and earn the trust of the coach. Dru Smith’s time may be cut into because Conwell can do something Dru Smith can’t and that is beat Klay Thompson in a shooting drill, few in league history can.

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