Heat's Larsson leaves Vegas after productive summer league: ‘I have to prove myself every day'

Miami Herald

15-07-2025

As an NBA rookie, guard Pelle Larsson helped the Miami Heat win the Las Vegas Summer League championship, played in 55 regular-season NBA games for the Heat and then played in each of the Heat's four playoff games. But Larsson entered this offseason with more to prove and plenty to improve on.
'I'm so early in my career that I have to prove myself every day,' Larsson, 24, said after a summer league practice in Las Vegas. 'I can't lay back or lean back on any achievements or anything. So I kind of just have to prove it every day and keep building that trust. It's here and then it's training camp and then preseason and then it just goes on and on.'
The first important chapter of Larsson's offseason came to an end with Monday's 100-96 win over the Boston Celtics in Las Vegas Summer League. It marked the Heat's first victory in three Last Vegas Summer League games this year.
Larsson left Las Vegas following Monday's contest to join Sweden's national team ahead of the EuroBasket 2025 tournament, which begins on Aug. 27.
Larsson left the country on a high note, totaling a team-high 24 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the field, 1-of-3 shooting on threes and 9-of-10 shooting from the foul line to go with two rebounds and six assists in 33 minutes to lead the Heat to Monday's summer league victory. The Heat's trio of Keshad Johnson (22 points), Larsson and Kel'el Ware (21 points) combined to score 67 of Miami's 100 points in the win.
While being used as a primary ball-handler that led to a higher usage rate than he'll get when the real NBA season begins, Larsson flashed his growth and talent by averaging 17.4 points, three rebounds and three assists per appearance in his five summer league games this year between the California Classic and the Las Vegas circuit.
'We were trying to grow his game,' Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Eric Glass said Monday when asked to assess Larsson's summer league showing. 'We want him to still be the defensive stopper and role player on offense, but we gave him the ball and it gave him a much higher usage rate, obviously. It was a good experience for him.
'There were games when he was really good, games that there's stuff on film now that we can teach him on things to do. But you can't duplicate these kinds of reps in games. So we were really happy for that.'
While Larsson knows he won't have the ball in his hands as often when his second NBA season begins, he still believes the opportunity to play as a lead guard in summer league can help him in certain on-ball situations this upcoming season.
'It's just reps,' said Larsson, who was selected by the Heat in the second round of last year's draft. 'Maybe if I don't get as many in one single game, I'll still get some of them. So when I get those opportunities, I need to make sure I'm ready and capable. It's just building that confidence and knowledge.'
But Larsson was far from perfect with the ball in summer league, totaling 15 turnovers to 15 assists in his five summer league appearances. He also shot just 22 of 52 (42.3 percent) from the field and 5 of 19 (26.3 percent) from three-point range during summer league.
'Very, very good experience for me,' Larsson said of his summer league on-ball opportunities. 'I'm going to have more of it this summer with the national team, as well. So I just got to keep growing with that. I had too many, maybe, lapses of focus handling the ball. But it's a great learning experience.'
One thing that Larsson did especially well in summer league was draw fouls. He averaged nine free-throw attempts per game, shooting 38 of 45 (84.4 percent) from the foul line during his five summer league appearances this year.
'To be honest, he's been the same person since he stepped in our building last year,' Glass said when asked if he's noticed anything different about Larsson this offseason. 'He's super consistent, works extremely hard. In terms of his role, we're getting him a little bit more on-ball reps than he typically has with the main club. But that's part of the summer development and his decision making and all that stuff, we're seeing improvement. So if those opportunities happen when he's under [Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra], hopefully he can be successful in those situations.'
Larsson's summer league flashes aren't necessarily surprising, considering he earned the Heat's trust as a rookie after beginning last season out of Miami's rotation. He went on to log double-digit minutes in each of the final six regular-season games he was available for before missing the last three games of the regular season because of a sprained ankle and then returning to the Heat's rotation in the playoffs.
With Spoelstra labeling Larsson as an 'elite role player' even before his rookie season began, he showed why Spoelstra put that tag on him when he did get playing time. Larsson's hustle, pesky defense and cutting ability immediately stood out, averaging 10.5 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 steals per game while shooting 44% from the field and 36.8% on threes during his final six regular-season appearances.
Larsson now wants to prove he deserves a bigger and more consistent role with the Heat in his second NBA season. He has $977,689 of his $2 million salary for next season already guaranteed, with the rest becoming guaranteed if he's still on Miami's roster on opening night.
'I think the hope is always to get better and have a bigger role than you did the last time around,' Larsson said.
What's on Larsson's offseason to-do list in hopes of earning that bigger role with the Heat?
'I think one thing is being ready to catch and shoot,' he said. 'I mean, Tyler [Herro] and Bam [Adebayo], those guys create a lot of open shots, so you just have to be ready to knock it down. And then also be a bully on defense, learn from teammates. And then be a bully on offense, get to the line, get to the hoop and just use my physicality because that's how I like to play and that's kind of what I've been working on this summer league.'
Larsson's work now continues with Sweden's national team.
As for the Heat, it will play its fourth of five Las Vegas Summer League games on Thursday against the Detroit Pistons' summer squad (4 p.m., NBA TV). While Larsson's summer league is done, it remains to be seen if the Heat's other two summer league leaders — Johnson and Ware — will play in another summer league game this year.
'Just kind of more of a sense of calm,' Larsson said of his comfort level with the Heat ahead of his second NBA season. 'I know what coach wants from me a little bit clearer. And I know what I can bring and what the whole training camp will look like. So just getting there and battling again.'