Miami Heat's Haywood Highsmith Grateful For Opportunity To Play In NBA Finals

Last year Haywood Highsmith spent most of his time playing with Delaware Blue Coats in the G League.

A year later, he is now a key contributor for the Miami Heat during the NBA Finals. He is proof that patience pays off.

"My journey has been a little crazy," Highsmith said. "I went to a smaller school so I had to work my way up, but I'm glad that I'm here. Put in a lot of work, and I'm going to trust my work and continue to play my game."

Highsmith was undrafted out of Wheeling Jesuit University despite being the NCAA Division II Player of the Year. From there, he bounced around the G League before landing an opportunity with the Heat.

He scored 18 points on 7 of 10 shooting against the Denver Nuggets in Game 1 of the NBA Finals.

"Yes, I've waited for this opportunity to play in the NBA Finals," Highsmith said. "My story has been a whirlwind getting here, so I'm definitely grateful and blessed. So I'm going to take advantage of my opportunity and do whatever I've got to do to help the team win."

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