Before there was LeBron James and Dwyane Wade the Miami Heat had guys like Glen Rice who became the face of the franchise when the team joined the league. Rice was a standout college player leading the Michigan Wolverines to the 1989 NCAA title putting on an outstanding performance. Taken with the #4 pick, Rice was expected to help the Heat become a team to be reckoned with.
And it took him a few years but Rice was the focus of the Heat’s offense and leader of the team. He was durable, their leading scorer and prolific 3-point shooter. He was able to lead the Heat to the Playoffs multiple years however the 1994-1995 seasons was a great one for the team. The team underachieved that years but Rice had some signature moments. Not only did he win the NBA All-Star Long Distance Shootout against Reggie Miller, despite not being named to the All-Star game, but he scored a career, and at-that-time Heat franchise, record 56 points in one game.
On April 15, 1995, the Heat were playing their inter-state rival Orland Magic. It was a nationally televised game and Rice said he could tell Orlando though it was an easy win. He was determined to will his team to the win. So he laced up his Champion sneakers tight and had a game of his career. Rice would go on to shot 20-27 from the field with 7-8 of 3-pointers. He also notched 9-10 free throws to help score his 56 points and lead his team over Shaq and Penny Magic team.
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