Heat Forward Haywood Highsmith to Miss 8-10 Weeks After Surgery

Miami Heat forward Haywood Highsmith will be out 8-10 weeks after having a procedure done on his knee. 

The forward suffered the injury while training for the upcoming season in his native Baltimore. Surgery was done today to repair a meniscal tear in his right knee and he will be able to begin rehabilitation right away. The injury should not force Highsmith to lose major time, though he could miss the season's first few games. 

Haywood Highsmith's NBA story is one of perseverance. He didn't go to a major college or even a D1 school. He played at D2 Wheeling Jesuit University, and while he was named the NCAA Division II Player of the Year in 2018, he went undrafted that same year. 

Highsmith was able to get into the G League after an open tryout, and he worked his way onto the Philadelphia 76ers in 2019. After two more years in the G League, he signed with the Heat in 2021 and has been with the team ever since. 

The forward has become increasingly more important to the Heat, earning more minutes and bigger roles each season. Highsmith stays on the court because of his high-energy defense as well as his shooting. Highsmith has shot 37.4% from the three-point line over his career. 

Last year, Highsmith played in a career-high 74 games for the Heat, starting 42 of them. He played a bit over 24 minutes a game and averaged 6.5 points with 3.4 rebounds and 1.5 assists. He is entering the second year of a two-year $10.8 million deal.