Rodney McGruder is considered an undersized shooting guard at 6-4 205 lbs, but each night he is tasked with stopping the opposing team’s best offensive perimeter player. Last night against Toronto, McGruder and the HEAT wore down Demar Derozan en route to a 15-point victory in a critical game as they fight to claim a playoff spot.
McGruder’s grit, hustle, and workman like effort, has garnered him comparisons to the HEAT’s original junk yard dog, Udonis Haslem. Like Haslem, McGruders efforts don’t translate to a box score filled with numbers, but his effort and energy sets the tone for a HEAT defense that is designed to grind their opponents down into submission over the course of the four quarters. McGruder spoke passionately in length, about how much Udonis Haslem means to him on a personal level and how he considers him his big brother.