The Miami Heat seem to always find a way to bring in effective players who aren’t always the hottest prospects or trailblazers coming into the NBA. The franchise has brought in players like Duncan Robinson, Omer Yurtseven, and Caleb Martin who have been valuable pieces for the Heat this season.
Any team could have had them, but Miami had the ability to spot their ability and develop them. Strus is another player who is in this category and has earned minutes with the second team he’s played for in the league.
We will see how the rest of his career unfolds, but the 25-year-old Strus has had a breakout regular season. Let’s take a closer look at Strus’ upbringing, pre-NBA years, and how he’s gotten to where he is today.
Where is Max Strus from?
Before becoming a fan favorite in South Beach, Strus grew up in Hickory Hills, Illinois. He has an older brother and an older sister, both of whom were also involved in sports. His older brother Marty also played basketball. It turns out the apples didn’t fall far from the tree either, as both of Max’s parents were also athletes in their collegiate days.
His mom played basketball and volleyball in that phase of their life, while Strus’ dad was a college baseball pitcher. It probably helped young Max that his household actively promoted athletics during his childhood, and we will later see how they were actually trailblazers for him.
Max Strus – High School
Not surprisingly, Strus was an asset for the Stagg High School basketball team, located in Palos Hills, Illinois. But it wasn’t a given that the young man from Hickory Hills would primarily focus his attention on the hardwood. He played football and baseball during his time in high school as well but suffered a couple of tough collarbone injuries on the gridiron. He could have pursued baseball collegiately but underwent a growth spurt during his high school years that pushed him more in the direction of basketball.
Starting with his sophomore year, he grew nine more inches, which allowed him to develop into a more prototypical wing player at higher levels of the game. The current NBA player really comes into his own during his final year of high school. During his senior season, Strus posted averages of 19 points per game and 9 rebounds per contest. While those statistics are usually good enough to catch the attention of many college scouts, Strus’ door was not exactly being knocked down with offers to play at the collegiate level.
Where did Max Strus go to College?
It was going to be a difficult road for Strus leaving high school if he wanted to continue his basketball career. He initially did not have any opportunities to play Division I hoops, which left him with some less glamorous options. However, Strus did not give up on his passion and ended up joining the Lewis University basketball team, a Division II program. It helped that his older brother Marty played for the Flyers and knew the coaches and staff.
Even though Max may have benefitted from his brother’s connection, he more than earned his chances to shine on the floor. Even though he was only there for two years, Strus made a huge impact. He made school history by scoring 52 points in a game and scored over 1,000 points during his stint. He was also named first-team All GLVC(Great Lakes Valley Conference). The Flyers were also highly successful as a program, winning over 73% of their games while Strus was on campus.
While Strus was extremely encouraged by his performance for Lewis, he had his sights set a little bit higher. Now that he rehabilitated his image in the eyes of scouts across the country, it was realistic for Strus to believe he could compete in a conference like the ACC or the Big East. After his sophomore season with Lewis, Strus transferred to DePaul and realized his Division I dreams.
The Blue Demons found out pretty quickly that they had a very talented player in their facility. In addition to averaging nearly 17 points per game during his first season with DePaul, Strus also posted nearly six rebounds and three assists per contest. In his senior season with the Blue Demons, Strus became an even more lethal weapon for the team. His scoring average spiked to just over 20 points while raising his free throw and three-point percentage as well. He had a couple of red hot games that season, including against UIC and Georgetown, where he nailed a career-high eight threes in those contests.
He was named to the All-Big East second team in 2018-2019, the first DePaul player to be selected for that honor since they joined the conference.
Max Strus – NBA Preparation
Strus had built up a lot of momentum over the final years of his college career, but it wasn’t enough for him to be selected in the 2019 NBA Draft. However, judging by his history, it was pretty clear that he would not let this deter him from continuing to work hard and make his own luck.
His first crack at earning a spot with an NBA team came with the Boston Celtics in training camp that year. He signed a two-way contract with the Celtics but was waived by the team before the regular season started. It was not an ideal beginning for Strus, but he had interest from many other NBA teams who wanted to give him a look.
Max Strus Gets His Chance With The Chicago Bulls
In a strange way, it might have been a blessing that the former DePaul star did not make it with the Celtics. It allowed Strus to pursue other options with different organizations, including his childhood favorite team, the Chicago Bulls. As a boy, he had rooted hard for the Bulls and counted players like Derrick Rose among his most beloved growing up. It would be a perfect landing spot for the Illinois native, and it turns out the interest was mutual.
Just before the 2019-2020 campaign, he signed a two-way contract with the Bulls. He was not a part of the rotation during the early part of the year, but he did make his NBA debut in November 2019 against the Miami Heat. In that contest, he played just under five minutes and scored five points. He went on to appear in another game for Chicago later that month, which would turn out to be his final game with the team.
Strus got most of his action with the team’s G League affiliate, the Windy City Bulls. He played well, averaging over 18 points a game and just under six rebounds for Windy City. However, he suffered a serious injury to his left knee which would prematurely end his first NBA season. The ACL knee injury is one of the toughest ailments to come back from for a basketball player, but Strus was determined to regain his form.
Max Strus – The Miami Heat Years
Even though the ACL tear was one of the darkest periods of his NBA journey, Strus would end up bouncing back and stumbling upon his latest and greatest chance to make an impact at the professional level. After he was cleared by doctors and deemed fully healthy, Strus signed a contract with the Miami Heat in November 2020. Unlike the approach the Bulls took in stashing Strus in a developmental capacity, the Heat found ways to involve Strus. He appeared in 39 games for them in the 2020-2021 season, averaging just over six points per game. He emerged as an immediate three-point threat in year one in South Florida and scored in double figures eight times.
Strus had two games that year where he splashed in five three-point shots against the Charlotte Hornets and Houston Rockets, respectively. The Heat already had players who could stretch the floor like Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, but having another alternative on the bench who could make defenses pay from range was a huge advantage for them.
While his first season in Miami was encouraging to see, Strus has become a formidable player this year, and one that others around the league have taken notice of. He’s already played in more games this year than all of last season and has played nearly 24 minutes a night due to injuries on the team. The 6’5″ guard has seized his opportunity and has converted on just below 40% of his attempts from the three-point range. Strus put his best stretch as an NBA player together in December 2021, including pouring in a career-high 32 points against the Orlando Magic.
Wayne Ellington – NBA Future
The Miami Heat will have an interesting decision to make this summer regarding Strus’ future with the team. He signed a two-year contract, but the second season is not guaranteed unless he is on the roster on June 29, 2022. Given how well he has developed, and how he has bounced back from his knee injury, it would be hard to envision the Heat not bringing him back for the 2022-2023 season. Strus’ cap hit will only be $1.8 million and would be one of the best bargains in the league next year at that price.
How many points does Max Strus average?
In the 2022-23 season, he averages 12.6 points per game. His career average is 9.5 points.
