Miami Heat guard Dru Smith has sustained another season-ending injury, this time a torn Achilles in his left leg. The injury occurred during Miami’s 110-95 victory over Brooklyn on Monday night. Following an evaluation off the court, a torn Achilles was the initial diagnosis, which was later confirmed by an MRI exam on Tuesday, revealing the severity of the injury. This marks the third season-ending setback for Smith since February 2022. The latest injury comes just 13 months after he missed a significant portion of the 2023-24 season due to a right knee injury. Surgery to mend the Achilles will be arranged, with extensive rehabilitation expected to follow. Smith’s 2021-22 season with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, was also cut short by a knee injury.
Heat coach Erik Spoelstra expressed his admiration for Smith’s resilience before the full extent of the injury was known, stating, “You don’t want to see anybody get hurt, but we all have such incredible, deep respect for his journey and what he’s had to overcome. I’ve been in the building all those times last year when nobody else was here and he was doing all the extensive treatment and rehab, around the clock. He just has incredible fortitude. You end up absolutely rooting for guys like Dru.”
Smith was in the midst of his most successful NBA season, averaging 6.3 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 1.5 steals in 19.1 minutes per game – all career highs. He had been playing under a two-way contract, with the potential for an upgrade to a standard NBA deal that could have nearly doubled his salary from $578,577 to just under $1.2 million.
The unfortunate trend of season-ending injuries for Smith began in the 2023-24 season when he tore his ACL in his right knee after slipping on a raised floor area in front of the Cleveland Cavaliers’ bench on November 22, 2023. This incident also necessitated season-ending surgery and an extended recovery period. Prior to this injury, Smith had been a consistent part of Miami’s rotation, appearing in nine of the team’s initial 15 games.
Smith’s NBA career has seen him average 4.5 points across 38 games with Miami and Brooklyn. He has been a participant in Miami’s training camp for the past four seasons.
