Former Miami Heat guard Rodney McGruder is close to signing with Palacanestro Olimpia Milano, a Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) professional basketball team based in Milan, Italy.
McGruder, who played for the Heat from 2016-17 to 2018-19, last played in the NBA with the Detroit Pistons in the 2022-23 season. The 32-year-old also played for the Los Angeles Clippers during his NBA career. In his NBA career, McGruder is averaging 5.8 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.2 assists on 42.0% shooting from the field and 36.0% from beyond the arc. During his time with the Heat, McGruder appeared in 162 games and made 112 starts over three seasons. McGruder, a graduate of Kansas State University, played 23.5 minutes per game for the Miami Heat. His first season with the Heat was a career high as he played in a career-high 78 games, starting 65 of them. McGruder averaged 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds per game for Miami that season. He spent one year in Los Angeles, appearing in 56 games and making four starts. From there, the sharpshooter spent three seasons with the Pistons, but didn’t play as much as he did with the Heat. Last season in Detroit, McGruder appeared in 32 games and started 12. He averaged 5.7 points, 2.3 rebounds and 0.9 assists in 16.4 minutes per game. Without an NBA team this season, McGruder appears to be finding a new way to continue his basketball career by playing overseas.Olympia Milano’s roster includes defenseman Shabazz Napier, another former Heat player who played for the team as a first-round pick in 2014-15. Olimpia Milano also has several former NBA players on its roster. McGruder will likely join a strong team once the deal is completed and could look back on the hot days with Napier, who has had similar experience with the franchise. Let’s hope McGruder can have a good role at Olimpia Milano and expand his career in Europe.
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