Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) high-fives forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) during the first quarter of a game on Dec. 1, 2025, at Kaseya Center in Miami. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Dru Smith’s role with the Miami Heat hasn’t changed in the last year, but it’s what the guard has endured over the last 12 months that makes that so impressive.
After going undrafted in 2021 and being waived by the Heat four different times before eventually being brought back, Smith established himself as a fixture in the Heat’s bench rotation through his steady play on both ends of the court last season before a torn Achilles cut his season short in December.
With Tuesday marking the one-year anniversary of that unfortunate injury, Smith again finds himself as a consistent and important part of the Heat’s bench rotation. Entering Thursday night’s matchup against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center, Smith has played in each of the Heat’s first 26 games of the season and has logged double-digit minutes in 25 of those games.
“I’m just proud of myself for making it back to this point,” Smith, 27, said. “Honestly, a year ago, I would have been like, ‘I have no idea what it’s going to look like.’ So just to be back, be playing, I think I’ve been available every night. That was a huge thing going into the year. Obviously, that’s been one of my biggest issues is just being able to be available for the team. So just trying to make sure that I’m continuing to keep up with everything, continue to take care of my body because we’re still not through December and I haven’t seen it through December in a couple of years.”
That’s because Smith has spent much of the last two years rehabbing from significant setbacks, as he also sustained a knee injury in November 2023 that cut his 2023-24 season short before returning and then suffering a season-ending Achilles injury last December.
“Just trying to keep up, stay on top of everything, make sure that I’m not getting lax just because things are going well,” Smith said, referring to the extra work he puts into taking care of his body. “I think that’s something that we’ve really been focusing on and just keeping that preparation up.”
That includes extra work before games, after games, on practice days and even on off days.
“I think just a little bit more intentional before games, after games, on the off days, like trying to make sure that I’m getting lifts,” Smith continued. “Just a little bit more than what I would usually do in the past. And, yeah, make sure I’m a little bit more warm whenever I get out there, ready for my minutes whenever it’s time to step in. I think just taking that one extra step in every area that I can, just trying to make sure that I can stay available.”
That’s important because Smith has proven to be a constant in the Heat’s bench rotation through his reliability as a ball-handler/facilitator and ability to defend/create turnovers in a role that fits almost any lineup.
“He’s been really important just in terms of his consistency,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Smith. “You know what you’re going to get defensively from him. He’s really disruptive and then offensively he just stabilizes whatever unit he’s in.”
Miami Heat guard Dru Smith (12) reaches for the ball around Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (13) during the second half of a game on Nov. 24, 2025, at Kaseya Center in Miami. Alie Skowronski askowronski@miamiherald.com
Smith has been among the most disruptive perimeter defenders in the league in terms of steals per 36 minutes. Among the 236 players around the NBA who have appeared in at least 20 games this season, Smith entered Thursday ranked first in steals per 36 minutes (3.1).
“He’s really unique,” Spoelstra said of Smith. “He’s the league leader in steals per 36. He has an uncanny ability. First of all, just think about how crazy that statement is. He’s leading this association in steals, but he does it in a much different way than most do it. He just has really good hands. He has great anticipation. He can kind of feel when guys are going to put the ball out there or pass. And when you put him in the zone, that’s when he can be particularly disruptive.”
Smith added on his knack for racking up steals: “I think I know that that’s one way that I can impact the game, trying to force turnovers, that kind of thing. But not necessarily something that I’m going out there looking to do. Just trying to be in the right spot. And if you’re in the right spot, a lot of the times in this league, the ball kind of finds you.”
With Smith approaching the one-year anniversary of the day he tore his Achilles, he’s just happy he’s back on the court and healthy. The Heat is happy he’s back on the court, too.
“He’s really great for that unit because he keeps them settled,” Spoelstra said of Smith’s value to the Heat’s bench lineups. “Everybody else can just be aggressive, hair on fire. He just kind of is a calming presence and super smart, disciplined, and he just has an impact.”
PLAYING THROUGH PAIN
While Heat guard Norman Powell missed practice Wednesday and was listed as questionable for Thursday’s matchup against the Nets because of left calf discomfort, he downplayed the issue at Thursday’s morning shootaround in New York.
“No worries. No issues. No big deal,” said Powell, who has since been upgraded to probable for Thursday’s game.
Powell was able to go through shootaround Thursday and “the plan will be for him to go through his routine and hopefully be ready to play,” according to Spoelstra.
Powell, 32, has missed five of the first 26 games this season because of multiple ailments. He missed three games with a right groin strain, one game with a left groin strain and one game with a left ankle sprain, but the various nagging injuries don’t worry him.
“I’m only concerned when there are big injuries and it causes me to miss games,” said Powell, who is on an expiring contract and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason. “I mean, basketball is physical. The way they’re guarding me is physical. So, I mean, I got a few cuts and scrapes and stuff, but it’s part of the game. As long as there’s no serious injury where it’s causing me to miss more time or anything like that. The small things are going to happen during the 82-game season.”
Powell’s mentality is to play in as many games as possible.
“I push my body to the limit,” he said. “If I can’t physically run up and down the court and do the things that I know I’m capable of doing, then I’ll listen to my body and sit out. If not, then I’m going to play through every nagging injury, every small bump and bruise. So my mentality is to play through injuries, everybody knows that about me.”
While there’s optimism that Powell will play on Thursday against the Nets, the Heat will be without Tyler Herro (right big toe contusion), Nikola Jovic (right elbow contusion/laceration), Pelle Larsson (left ankle sprain), Terry Rozier (not with team) and Jahmir Young (G League).