Caleb Martin was never seen as someone who could become a reason the Miami Heat reached the NBA Finals. The Eastern Conference Champions had an unconventional journey to the top especially after nearly missing out on the playoffs. From beating the best team in the NBA to dominating former finalists, the Heat went from experiencing their worst season to being title contenders. Once again, Martin played a big part in it as well.
During the 2022-23 regular season, he averaged 9.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game. The former North Carolina University and University of Nevada star was always a good backup player but never attracted the attention of the league’s large fan base.
He happened to be a part of the reason why the Heat managed to get past the higher-seeded Celtics. Caleb averaged 19.2 points in the ECF alone, twice as much as he would usually put in.
The Heat lost Tyler Herro during their postseason opener against the Milwaukee Bucks. He fractured his fingers which sidelined him instantly. During his absence, Caleb Martin stepped up to anchor Jimmy Butler‘s scoring. His rise as the Heat’s playoff superstar came from a place of hard work and trial. Rapper J. Cole also played a role in the Heat’s acquisition of Martin.
How did J. Cole get Caleb Martin in touch with the Miami Heat?
Caleb Martin went undrafted in the 2019 NBA Draft despite being a great college athlete. However, he entered the league by signing with the Charlotte Hornets. Martin barely had any impact on the team as he averaged just 5.6 points per game. The Hornets were a struggling team and needed to sign better players which forced them to waive him off his contract.
“[J. Cole] went straight to his contacts & hit up Caron [Butler]. They put me in position to come up here, get a scrimmage… I just came in, played well & the rest was history.”
Caleb Martin tells the story of how J. Cole helped him sign with the Heat 🔥pic.twitter.com/NCYFk3tkB4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) May 22, 2023
After being waived off by Charlotte in 2021, Martin began working out at a facility that was owned by the American rapper. That is how J. Cole introduced himself to Martin. The rapper noticed how dedicated Martin was and took a chance on him. At this point, Caleb was searching for a team to sign with but nobody seemed interested in him. Cole pulled some strings and landed the baller a career-saving deal with the Heat.
I still can’t believe these shots from Caleb Martin pic.twitter.com/MF40tSSQPw
— Brady Hawk (@BradyHawk305) May 30, 2023
J. Cole is a good friend of Caron Butler, the assistant coach of the Miami Heat organization. The rapper took a chance and requested that they gave Martin a shot. This information was passed on to Head Coach Erik Spoelstra who immediately asked for Martin to workout with the Heat. They eventually saw talent they could use and signed the athlete to a three-year $20.4 million contract.