Tyler Herro

The top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder strolled into South Beach with plenty worth bragging about on December 20, 2024, having just gone 10-1 over a road-heavy 11-game stretch spanning halfway across the world. For one possession during the first quarter, though, Tyler Herro’s speed and distance traveled during a loose ball race was the only example that truly mattered. Gifted enough to keep the Miami Heat competitive without two all-world teammates, Herro moves ambitiously, leaving smoke at his heels during a hunt for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s misfired pass. Tallied already for a steal on the box score, Herro sequences it with something just as special, gliding through the air for a two-handed jam with Isaiah Hartenstein’s 7-foot frame closely attached. The game’s story was told then and there, as Herro — valiant in defeat — enjoyed a 28-point evening (on 11-of-24 shooting), joined by 12 rebounds, five assists, three steals, and three 3-pointers.