Dunroe is telling his own story of redemption "I will not bow to the ordeal".
This season, Dunroe had a second spring and played the best form of his NBA career so far.
Speaking about the experience, Dunroe said: "Honestly, the whole year [2023] has been a lot of fun and I think it's all happening partly because of the solutions I took and partly because of the mindset I had when I got out on the pitch. But, obviously, part of that is just enjoying the opportunity and making the most of it to the best of my ability. ”
When Herro picked up an injury early in the season, Dunroe came in the starting line-up. As of Wednesday, Dunroe's points per game (148 points) and assists (2. per game.)9) were career highs and shot 478% and 42 percent from three-point range6%, and is also the team's fourth-leading scorer.
Within the league, Dunroe is known for his three-point shooting expertise, and this has carried over to his performances this season.
As of Wednesday, Dunroe is shooting 42 from three-point range in the league out of 29 players who have averaged more than seven three-point shots per game this season6%, which is in fourth place, behind Haliburton, Curry and Kobe White.
And this season, what makes Dunroe's performance look different is his ability to handle the ball, play and cut in. He is averaging a career-high number of assists per game and has taken 30 shots from inside the box, compared to 12 of his 42 appearances in the regular season last season.
With Duncan [Robinson], it's no longer an accident," Spo said, "and he's very skilled offensively and he's a good fit for any lineup." He knows how to add character to a squad and how to be the focal point in running off the ball. He was unusually restrained by the opposition's defence. ”
And for the outside world, the question that people want to ask: For Dunroe, what motivates him to continue to diversify off the field?After all, after renewing a big contract, he is already a winner in life.
When asked about this question, Dunroe sighed and then said, "There are a lot of sticking points that need to be solved in terms of the content of my game, and I don't think the reason can be boiled down to a simple matter. I think that's what it is for me as a person and as a player to try to maximise every situation in front of me. ”
For the past year or so, Dunroe has faced a situation that he was unwilling to face, having been a Heat starter for three consecutive seasons before Truce took his place late in the 2021-22 season.
Then, Dunroe's fortunes continued to change: from a regular player in the Heat's starting lineup, to inconsistent playing time in the final stages of the 2021-22 season and basically throughout the 2022-23 season.
"In terms of why I'm constantly pushing myself forward, I think part of it is because there's no other option, that's everything," Deng Roe said.
And then the second point, I guess I'm trying to take a very subtle route, and I guess everybody does it in some way, and you don't want to get bogged down in the narrative or this or that. You want to keep it out of sight, away from the mind. But the reality is that all of them exist. Part of it is also to make the inner flame feel like 'I'm not going to just throw in the towel like that.' ’”
Because of this, Dunroe chose to continue working hard in the hope of becoming a more well-rounded player, which is why questions about his work ethic have bothered him so much.
Speaking about what frustrated him the most after losing his starting position in March 2022, Dunroe said: "I've looked back at these doubts and I don't care or whatever.
Because I think it's hard to maintain consistent daily Xi every day and in general, that's why not a lot of people do it. But when things are going well, things are much easier. When you know you're going to play 30 minutes a night and you know the team needs you, it's easier for you to get fit, shoot, stay fit. ”
But despite his short playing time, Dunroe continued his day-to-day off the court to bolster his shortcomings with the goal of becoming a consistent part of the Heat's rotation once again.
I think in retrospect, it was like a strange position because you were questioned like a tidal wave from the outside," Dunroe said, "but deep down, it's arguably the thing I'm most proud of, because I know I'm going to keep going and keep trying." Therefore, don't get bogged down in the ** dilemma and focus on the substance of what actually happened, rather than the doubts that are happening around you. ”
Dunroe's inconsistent form has sparked trade rumors and questions about his salary. For the first time in Dunroe's NBA career, he was no longer the protagonist of an inspiring draft loss story, but a garbage contract player.
The big contract changed expectations of Dunroe, and his performance as a fringe rotation player didn't live up to expectations.
Dunroe turned to close friends, family, and sports psychologists close to him to help him through this phase of his basketball career.
It's something I've discussed internally with some of my close friends and family and it's the first time things have changed," he said, "and I've always been a bit like the guy who came off the bench or something. If I did something, it would be: 'Oh, wow. It's like picking up money. Look at this guy who lost the draft, with excellent results. I think I let the narrative change in my mind more than it should, or I let it affect my own thoughts more than it should. I now have enough understanding and perspective to think back that nothing has actually changed and nothing needs to change. I could have continued to be myself. ”
Dunroe may return to the bench after Herro's return, but he won't fade out of the rotation this time.
Whatever happens next, he's better prepared to deal with what happens on and off the pitch now.
I mean, it's going to happen, I'm going to have another phase in my career, everything is going to go down or whatever. I think after all of this, it's like everything else is a skill. You're just better able to handle it. The goal is to make the peaks the way they are, the troughs to be the way they are, and then find consistency between the two.