2002–03 Miami Heat season

NBA professional basketball team season March 2026 August 2023 Miami Heat 2003 25 57 Atlantic 7 13 Pat Riley Randy Pfund Pat Riley Micky Arison American Airlines Arena Did not qualify MIA Sunshine Network WBFS WFOR WIOD The 2002–03 Miami Heat season was the 15th season for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association. Miami Heat Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/ August 7, 2026 Season summary Off-season The Heat received the tenth overall pick in the 2002 NBA draft, and selected small forward Caron Butler from the University of Connecticut. Lago Joe Rockets Make Yao Ming First Overall Pick ESPN June 26, 2002 https://www.espn.com/nbadraft/story?id=1399417 October 24, 2026 Passan Jeff Rockets Select Yao No. 1 Overall in Draft The Washington Post June 26, 2002 https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/2002/06/27/rockets-select-yao-no-1-overall-in-draft/514fd892-fe37-4595-aed2-c42c53b509fb/ July 15, 2022 2002 NBA Draft Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/draft/NBA_2002.html December 1, 2022 During the off-season, the team signed free agent Travis Best. Smith Sam Eastern Conference Capsules Chicago Tribune October 30, 2002 https://www.chicagotribune.com/cs-2002nba_eastcaps-story.html July 16, 2022 However, due to the continuing effects of his kidney ailment, All-Star center Alonzo Mourning underwent a kidney transplant, and would miss the entire regular season. Pro Basketball: Kidney Ailment Has Mourning Out Indefinitely The New York Times September 13, 2002 https://www.nytimes.com/2002/09/13/sports/pro-basketball-kidney-ailment-has-mourning-out-indefinitely.html?mcubz=0 August 24, 2017 Regular season Without Mourning, and despite the addition of Caron Butler and Best, the Heat struggled losing 10 of their first 12 games of the regular season. After a 6–18 start to the season, the team won six of their next seven games, but then posted a six-game losing streak afterwards, and held a 17–32 record at the All-Star break. NBA Games Played on February 6, 2003 Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/?month=2&day=6&year=2003 February 6, 2026 The Heat lost 18 of their final 23 games of the season, and finished in last place in the Atlantic Division with a 25–57 record, their worst since the 1990–91 season. 2002–03 Miami Heat Schedule and Results Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/2003_games.html June 22, 2022 Eddie Jones averaged 18.5 points and 1.4 steals per game, but only played just 47 games due to a season-ending groin injury, while Caron Butler averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game, and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team, and Brian Grant provided the team with 10.3 points and 10.2 rebounds per game. In addition, second-year forward Malik Allen provided with 9.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, while Best contributed 8.4 points and 3.5 assists per game, and second-year guard Mike James contributed 7.8 points and 3.2 assists per game. Meanwhile, rookie small forward, and second-round draft pick Rasual Butler averaged 7.5 points per game, Eddie House contributed 7.5 points per game, Vladimir Stepania averaged 5.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, LaPhonso Ellis provided with 5.0 points and 2.9 rebounds per game, and Anthony Carter contributed 4.1 points and 4.1 assists per game. 2002–03 Miami Heat Roster and Stats Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/2003.html June 22, 2022 During the NBA All-Star weekend at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, Caron Butler was selected for the NBA Rookie Challenge Game, as a member of the Rookies team. Butler scored 23 points along with 7 assists, despite the Rookies losing to the Sophomores team, 132–112. Basketball The Madison Courier February 8, 2003 A8 https://books.google.com/books?id=KbpJAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA5&dq=2003+NBA+All-Star+Rosters&article_id=6980,3744966&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjUp7Pcs6-SAxUnmIkEHXTXEisQ6AF6BAgHEAM#v=onepage&q=2003%20NBA%20All-Star%20Rosters&f=false January 28, 2026 2003 NBA Rising Stars: Sophomores 132, Rookies 112 Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/allstar/NBA_2003_rookie.html January 28, 2026 Butler also finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting. 2002–03 NBA Awards Voting Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_2003.html February 6, 2026 The Heat finished 22nd in the NBA in home-game attendance, with an attendance of 628,242 at the American Airlines Arena during the regular season. 2002–03 NBA Season Summary Basketball-Reference https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_2003.html February 6, 2026 Aftermath Following the season, Mourning signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets after eight seasons with the Heat. Robbins Liz Pro Basketball: "Excited" Mourning Introduced by Nets The New York Times July 17, 2003 https://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/17/sports/pro-basketball-excited-mourning-introduced-by-nets.html July 15, 2022 Meanwhile, Best signed with the Dallas Mavericks, Ellis retired, and head coach Pat Riley resigned, although he would later on return to coach the Heat midway through the 2005–06 season. Offseason Draft picks 2002 NBA draft Round Pick Player Position Nationality School/Club team 1 10 Caron Butler SF Connecticut 2 52 Rasual Butler SG/SF La Salle Roster Miami Heat 2002–03 35 Malik Allen F 6 10 255 1978-06-27 Villanova 1 Travis Best G 5 11 182 1972-07-12 Georgia Tech 4 Caron Butler G/F 6 7 217 1980-03-13 Connecticut 45 Rasual Butler G/F 6 7 205 1979-06-23 La Salle 25 Anthony Carter basketball G 6 1 190 1975-06-16 Hawaii 3 LaPhonso Ellis F 6 8 240 1970-05-05 Notre Dame 44 Brian Grant F/C 6 9 254 1972-03-05 Xavier 5 Eddie House G 6 1 180 1978-05-14 Arizona State 7 Mike James basketball, born 1975 G 6 2 188 1975-06-23 Duquesne 54 Ken Johnson basketball, born 1978 C 6 11 240 1978-02-01 Ohio State 6 Eddie Jones basketball G/F 6 6 190 1971-10-20 Temple 21 Sean Lampley F 6 7 227 1979-09-03 California 22 Sean Marks FC 6 10 250 1975-08-23 California 33 Alonzo Mourning C 6 10 240 1970-02-08 Georgetown yes IN 50 Vladimir Stepania C 7 0 236 1976-05-08 Georgia (country)Republic of Georgia Pat Riley Keith Askins Bill Foran Bob McAdoo Erik Spoelstra Stan Van Gundy https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/MIA/2003.html September 5, 2002 Roster Notes Center Alonzo Mourning was on the injured reserve list due to a kidney transplant, and missed the entire regular season. Regular season MIA MIA Player statistics Ragular season Player POS Position GP Games played GS Games starter MP Minutes played REB Rebounds AST Assists STL Steals BLK Blocks PTS Points MPG Minutes per game RPG Rebounds per game APG Assists per game SPG Steals per game BPG Blocks per game PPG Points per gameBrian GrantC82 82 2,641 837 104 63 47 846 32.2 10.2 1.3 .8 .6 10.3Malik AllenPF 80 73 2,318 425 54 37 78 767 29.0 5.3 .7 .5 1.0 9.6Vladimir StepaniaC 79 6 1,594 554 24 45 40 441 20.2 7.0 .3 .6 .5 5.6Caron ButlerSF 78 78 2,858 397 213 137 31 1,201 36.6 5.1 2.7 1.8 .4 15.4Mike James basketball, born 1975PG 78 8 1,722 149 246 64 5 607 22.1 1.9 3.2 .8 .1 7.8Travis BestPG 72 52 1,807 147 255 44 7 603 25.1 2.0 3.5 .6 .1 8.4Rasual ButlerSG 72 28 1,514 186 93 21 43 540 21.0 2.6 1.3 .3 .6 7.5Eddie HouseSG 55 7 1,025 101 87 44 1 411 18.6 1.8 1.6 .8 .0 7.5LaPhonso EllisPF 55 3 784 157 15 15 15 277 14.3 2.9 .3 .3 .3 5.0Anthony Carter basketballPG 49 26 912 83 203 45 5 199 18.6 1.7 4.1 .9 .1 4.1Eddie Jones basketballSG 47 47 1,789 226 173 64 31 869 38.1 4.8 3.7 1.4 .7 18.5Sean LampleySF 35 0 487 83 31 7 3 169 13.9 2.4 .9 .2 .1 4.8Sean MarksPF 23 0 223 35 3 5 6 54 9.7 1.5 .1 .2 .3 2.3Ken Johnson basketball, born 1978C 16 0 156 32 0 1 12 32 9.8 2.0 .0 .1 .8 2.0 Awards and records Caron Butler, NBA All-Rookie Team 1st Team References Category:Miami Heat seasons Miami Heat Miami Heat Miami Heat