by Miguel Mike Medina
Before the era of Jimmy Butler, the Big Three (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh), Alonzo Mourning, and Tim Hardaway, there was Glen Rice. What does it mean to be underrated? It’s a productive player who doesn’t get the recognition they deserve. Rice is one of the founding fathers of the Miami Heat. He was an incredible talent, a practical shooter, and a scorer. In his first six seasons with the Miami Heat, he led them to the playoffs twice in 1992 and 1994, laying the foundation for the team’s early success.
Miami selected Rice in the first round as the fourth overall pick in the 1989 NBA draft. The Heat were entering the second season of their franchise, and they needed someone to provide scoring and improve the team’s offense. Rice fell into their lap and gave Miami what they sought. He had a solid rookie season by averaging 13.0 points per game, starting in 60 of those 77 games. It was a sign of good things to come. Rice’s breakout year came in his third season during the 1991-92 campaign. His scoring increased by averaging 22.3 points, with 5.0 rebounds and 0.4 blocks per game. Rice finished fourth in Most Improved Player of the Year. He had some help from a new rookie on the team, Steve Smith, who averaged 12.0 points that season and was vital for Miami in the playoffs, averaging 16.0 points. It was a great time to be a Heat fan. The young team made the playoffs, marking the franchise’s first taste of the postseason, and they had a guy in Glen Rice that led them there. Rice also made 155 three-point field goals, finishing second in the league.
As fun and exciting as that season was, Miami got swept in the first round by the defending champions, the Chicago Bulls. They had no shot, especially when the Bulls had a prime Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. Rice averaged 19.0 points in three playoff games against the Bulls. At that time, the first round was a best-of-five series.
Rice and the Heat returned to the playoffs in the 1993-94 season but lost to the Atlanta Hawks in five games. That season, Glen Rice averaged 21.1 points per game. He followed that up the next season by averaging 22.3 points.
Glen Rice’s Signature Game as a Miami Heat
Glen succeeded during his years with Miami and had many good games, but we will remember one particular game. It happened against an upcoming and exceptional team in Orlando Magic, led by Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway. Miami was at home for this game. Rice had everything going his way. He scored a career-high 56 points on 20 of 27 shots from the floor, including seven three-pointers. No one scored that many points in a game that season. Jordan came the closest when he scored 55 in Madison Square Garden against the New York Knicks.
After being traded to the Charlotte Hornets for Alonzo Mourning, Miami became an elite team. However, Rice’s numbers improved with the Hornets. He went on to win a championship with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2000. Despite their separate paths, Rice and the Heat continued to succeed on their own. Yet, it’s crucial to remember Glen’s contributions and impact during his tenure with the franchise. When you open the book of the Miami Heat’s history, you can’t miss Glen’s role in shaping the team’s early success.
