MIAMI, April 7 – The Miami HEAT announced today that they have signed forward Yante Maten. As per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Maten, who was originally signed to a two-way contract by the HEAT on July 29, earned All-NBA G League Second Team and NBA G League All-Rookie Team honors after appearing in 30 games (all starts) with Miami’s G League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, this season. He averaged a team-leading 23.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.03 blocks and 32.7 minutes while shooting 53.8 percent from the field. He earned G League Player of the Month for December and finished second on the team in rebounds (288), blocks (31), field goals made (248) and free throws made (174) while placing third on the team in points (705). Maten posted a team-high 14 double-doubles and recorded 10 30-point games, including a season-high 42 points while grabbing 14 rebounds and blocking three shots in a, 113-108, win against the Stockton Kings on December 2. Additionally, he was named to the Mid-Season All-NBA G League Western Conference Team.
Maten, the 2018 SEC Player of the Year, played four seasons at the University of Georgia appearing in 128 career collegiate games (97 starts). Among the school’s all-time lists, he finished second in points (1,886), third in blocks (198), fourth in rebounds (889) and free throws made (518), sixth in field goals made (655), 13th in free throw percentage (.755) and 15th in field goal percentage (.483). He scored the most points during a single season by a senior (636), including the fifth-most overall, in school history while appearing in 33 games (all starts) and averaging 19.3 points, 8.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 1.48 blocks and 34.3 minutes while shooting 46.4 percent from the field last season. He also led the conference in scoring average, becoming just the fifth player in school history to accomplish the feat. Additionally, Maten became the first Bulldog in 25 years to earn three All-SEC honors in his career and just the sixth player in program history to achieve the feat.