Of all the players that have made the Miami Heat successful over the years, the franchise GOAT debate comes down to LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, and Alonzo Mourning.
Founded in 1988 and debuting for the 1988-89 season, the Miami Heat have become one of the great franchises in NBA history in their short 36 years of existence. During this time, some undisputed all-time talents have helped the Heat gain an identity that is respected across the NBA community, especially in the modern era. With these NBA legends arises a debate we have settled before with franchises like the Lakers and the Celtics. Who is the GOAT of the Miami Heat?
With 24 playoff appearances, seven NBA Finals appearances, and three NBA championships, the Miami Heat has to be considered one of the most successful NBA franchises of the last two decades. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, and Alonzo Mourning all have great cases to be made to be considered for the title. Jimmy Butler has also made a case to be considered for today’s list but two Finals losses and five seasons with less accomplished than these four players kept him just off the list. Only one of these four will survive our most accurate formula to be named the franchise’s GOAT.
It is time to declare the Miami Heat’s franchise GOAT between LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Shaquille O’Neal, and Alonzo Mourning.
Best Stats
1. LeBron James – 26.9 PPG, 7.6 RPG, 6.7 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.8 BPG (4 Points)
2. Dwyane Wade – 22.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 5.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.9 BPG (3 Points)
3. Shaquille O’Neal – 19.6 PPG, 9.1 RPG, 2.1 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.9 BPG (2 Points)
4. Alonzo Mourning – 16.0 PPG, 8.1 RPG, 1.1 APG, 0.5 SPG, 2.7 BPG
As always, we start things off with the category for the box score watchers and the players with the best stats during their Heat careers. With four years in his prime spent in Miami, LeBron James became the franchise’s all-time leader in points per game with 26.9. James also averages the most assists and is tied for the most steals per game among these four candidates, making him the easy winner of his first category and four GOAT points.
Dwyane Wade, the franchise’s all-time leader in just about everything, gets second-place points for his superb 15-year career in Miami. Wade is the only player other than James to average more than 20.0 points per game on this list while also being tied for first in steals and second in assists.
Bringing up the rear for two points and one point are Shaq and Alonzo Mourning. When comparing these two, Shaq was the better scorer, rebounder, and passer while Mourning was the much more impactful defender as we are all well aware. O’Neal gets the slight edge over Mourning for two points while Mourning receives one point strictly by the numbers.
Most NBA Championships
1. Dwyane Wade – 3 NBA Championships (4 Points)
2. LeBron James – 2 NBA Championships (3 Points)
T3. Shaquille O’Neal – 1 NBA Championship (2 Points)
T3. Alonzo Mourning – 1 NBA Championship (2 Points)
With three NBA championships in their team history, only one player was a part of all of them. Dwyane Wade helped the Miami Heat win their first NBA championship as the leader and star attraction on the team. He followed that up as a No. 2 to LeBron James in 2012 and 2013 as they won back-to-back titles as one of the best duos in NBA history.
When it came to that duo, LeBron James outperformed everyone, including Wade, during their 2012 and 2013 NBA championship wins. James was named Finals MVP on both occasions, averaging nearly a triple-double with elite defense in each series win. In four seasons, James led the Heat to a total of four NBA Finals appearances, suffering losses in 2011 to Dallas and 2014 to San Antonio.
Shaquille O’Neal came over from the Lakers prior to the 2004-05 season following a dominant run in Los Angeles. After finishing second in MVP voting in 2005, O’Neal played backup to Dwyane Wade for the 2005-06 season. Settling into that role for the first time in his career, O’Neal helped lead them to a title in 2006. Also on that 2006 title team was our other GOAT candidate, Alonzo Mourning. Though well past his prime and making a comeback from kidney disease, Mourning played a vital defensive role for them off the bench.
Most MVP Awards
1. LeBron James – 2 MVP Awards (4 Points)
T2. Dwyane Wade – 0 MVP Awards (0 Points)
T2. Alonzo Mourning – 0 MVP Awards (0 Points)
T2. Shaquille O’Neal – 0 MVP Awards (0 Points)
There has only ever been one player to win MVP in the history of the Miami Heat and that player is LeBron James. Capturing MVP awards in 2012 and 2013, James dominated during his four-year run with the team. Between his two MVP seasons, James averaged 26.9 points, 8.0 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 1.8 steals per game. He also shot 54.9% overall from the field and 39.0% from three on 2.5 attempts per game.
The other three came close in their primes to winning MVP with the Heat but fell just short thanks to other all-time great seasons. Shaquille O’Neal finished runner-up for the award in 2005 to Steve Nash and Dwyane Wade finished just behind Lebron James and Kobe Bryant in 2009. Due to the lack of MVP awards by players on our list, LeBron James gets four points for the category while O’Neal, Wade, and Mourning get zero.
Most Finals MVP Awards
1. LeBron James – 2 Finals MVP Awards (4 Points)
2. Dwyane Wade – 1 Finals MVP Award (3 Points)
T3. Shaquille O’Neal – 0 Finals MVP Awards (0 Points)
T3. Alonzo Mourning – 0 Finals MVP Awards (0 Points)
Between their three NBA championships, the Heat have had two players named Finals MVP in their franchise’s history. LeBron James takes home four points in this category for his two Finals MVP wins in 2012 and 2013. James led the Heat to a five-game series win in 2012 over the Thunder and a seven-game series win over the Spurs in 2013 for the first two championships and Finals MVPs of his career.
Dwyane Wade was a member of the 2012 and 2013 NBA championship teams with the Heat. Several seasons before that, Wade was the leader of Miami’s first championship in 2006. In the 2006 NBA Finals, Wade led the Miami Heat to a six-game series win over the Dallas Mavericks after falling down in the series 2-0 with 34.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game.
While Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning both played important and pivotal roles on that 2006 championship team, neither of them were considered Finals MVP worthy meaning they each received zero points for the category.
Most Defensive Player Of The Year Awards
1. Alonzo Mourning – 2 Defensive Player of the Year Awards (4 Points)
T2. LeBron James – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T2. Dwyane Wade – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
T2. Shaquille O’Neal – 0 Defensive Player Of The Year Awards (0 Points)
Just as the case was with the MVP award, only one of these players was ever named Defensive Player of the Year in a Miami Heat uniform. Alonzo Mourning would take home back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1999 and 2000. Mourning won back-to-back block titles at this time with 3.9 blocks per game and 3.7 blocks per game respectively. Mourning also recorded 10.4 rebounds per game over those two seasons.
LeBron James was the closest of the other three, finishing second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2013. It is still one of the most controversial award races in NBA history with Marc Gasol winning the award. Wade and O’Neal were both spectacular on the defensive side of the ball in Miami but neither had a season worthy of Defensive Player of the Year consideration.
Most All-NBA Team Selections
1. Dwyane Wade – 8 All-NBA Team Selections (4 Points)
2. LeBron James – 4 All-NBA Team Selections (3 Points)
T3. Shaquille O’Neal – 2 All-NBA Team Selections (2 Points)
T3. Alonzo Mourning – 2 All-NBA Team Selections (2 Points)
As we move on in our formula, this is where Dwyane Wade’s longevity with the franchise begins to work in his favor. Wade’s eight All-NBA Team selections are the most among the other candidates today with no other player earning more than four. All of his All-NBA Team selections came in a nine-year span from 2005 through 2013 with two First Team selections, three Second Team selections, and three Third Team selections.
LeBron James was at his absolute best during his four seasons with the Heat from 2011 through 2014. James was All-NBA First Team all four years he was with the Heat as the best all-around player in the game by a wide margin. Both Shaquille O’Neal and Alonzo Mourning earned two All-NBA Team selections in their careers with the Heat to take home two points in the category. O’Neal was All-NBA First Team twice and Mourning was First Team once.
Most All-Defensive Team Selections
1. LeBron James – 4 All-Defensive Team Selections (4 Points)
2. Dwyane Wade – 3 All-Defensive Team Selections (3 Points)
3. Alonzo Mourning – 2 All-Defensive team Selections (2 Points)
4. Shaquille O’Neal – 0 All-Defensive Team Selections (0 Points)
Even with longevity in his favor, Dwyane Wade falls one All-Defensive team selection shy of LeBron James in this category. It speaks volumes to the defender that LeBron was at the time with three All-Defensive First Team selections and one Second Team selection in 2014. James’ defense was the catalyst for four straight NBA Finals appearances for the Heat from 2011 through 2014 leading to their most successful period as a franchise.
The fact that Dwyane Wade was never voted one of the better defensive guards in the NBA more than three times is a shame. There was a time during the 2000s and 2010s when Wade was a feared defender and came up clutch numerous times on that side of the ball. His three All-Defensive teams rank second on this list, good for three points.
Alonzo Mourning was voted to the All-Defensive First Team twice as a member of the Miami Heat in 1999 and 2000. They were the same seasons that he was named Defensive Player of the Year. As for O’Neal, his defensive prime had already passed when he joined the Heat in 2004-05 with other centers surpassing him on that side of the ball around the NBA.
Most All-Star Selections
1. Dwyane Wade – 13 All-Star Selections (4 Points)
2. Alonzo Mourning – 5 All-Star Selections (3 Points)
3. LeBron James – 4 All-Star Selections (2 Points)
4. Shaquille O’Neal – 3 All-Star Selections (1 Point)
Between the four candidates, there are 25 All-Star selections combined with Dwyane Wade owning over half of them himself. Wade’s longevity scores him another category with 13 All-Star selections in 15 seasons with the Heat. In 2010, Wade was named All-Star MVP as well as a member of the Heat, making him the only player in franchise history to win the award.
No other player in our formula has more than five All-Star selections in their Miami Heat careers mostly due to the lack of time in the uniform. From 1996 through 2002, Alonzo Mourning earned all five of his All-Star selections with the team in a seven-year span. Lebron James and Shaquille O’Neal were both named All-Stars every season they were with the Heat but with that only being four years for James and three years for Shaq, they don’t measure up to Wade and Mourning in this category.
Total Win Shares
1. Dwyane Wade – 116.1 Win Shares (4 Points)
2. LeBron James – 65.3 Win Shares (3 Points)
3. Alonzo Mourning – 64.9 Win Shares (2 Points)
4. Shaquille O’Neal – 21.1 Win Shares (1 Point)
Longevity reigns supreme in the total win shares category as well with Dwyane Wade scorching the competition with 116.1 win shares in his Miami Heat career. As one of the Heat GOATs, Wade may have never led the NBA in total win shares but he did record five seasons with at least 11.0 win shares and nine seasons with at least 5.0 win shares to claim the franchise’s all-time lead.
The fact that LeBron James ranks second in total win shares on this list is astounding considering he accumulated over 65.0 win shares in just four seasons. During his first three seasons in Miami, James led the NBA in total win shares recording over 14.5 win shares each season. He added a season of 15.9 win shares in 2014 to bring his total to the second-most on our list.
Alonzo Mourning finished just o.4 win shares behind James for second place in total win shares again speaking volumes about James’ impact in Miami. In 11 seasons with the Heat, Mourning recorded 64.9 win shares for an average of 5.9 per season.
PER
1. LeBron James – 29.6 PER (4 Points)
2. Dwyane Wade – 24.0 PER (3 Points)
3. Shaquille O’Neal – 23.9 PER (2 Points)
4. Alonzo Mourning – 21.7 PER (1 Point)
The fact that all four of these Miami Heat legends have a career PER over 21.0 with the team is a remarkable feat. Efficiency has always been a point of emphasis in Miami Heat culture in every aspect of the game. In his four seasons in Miami, LeBron James had arguably the greatest stretch of basketball he has ever played with a PER through the room at 29.6. James led the NBA in PER every season from 2011 through 2013 and recorded a 29.3 PER in 2014 to help him become one of the most efficient small forwards ever.
Dwyane Wade was also known to be extremely efficient during his career with the Miami Heat. From 2005 through 2016, Wade recorded a PER of 20.0 or higher and even led the NBA in 2007 with a 28.9 PER. Just behind Wade was Shaquille O’Neal with his three-plus seasons in South Beach with three seasons of a PER higher than 21.5.
Who Is The GOAT Of The Miami Heat?
1. LeBron James – 31 Points (5 categories Won)
2. Dwyane Wade – 28 Points (4 Categories Won)
3. Alonzo Mourning – 17 Points (1 Category Won)
4. Shaquille O’Neal – 10 Points (0 Categories Won)
There are a few interesting points that this formula brings to light in the debate for the title of GOAT of the Miami Heat. This is clearly a battle of peak vs. longevity which our formula has almost always favored longevity in that case. However, thanks to how dominant LeBron James was during those four years, he turned the formula completely upside down and took the crown.
Now, of course, if you have Dwyane Wade as the GOAT of the Miami Heat, thanks to the 15 seasons of sustained greatness that he gave to the franchise, I am completely fine with that as well. Considering Wade is Miami’s all-time leader in points, games played, assists, and steals while also being second in blocks, he has earned the right to be called the franchise GOAT.
The most shocking development, or maybe not for some, is how much more of a Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning is than Shaquille O’Neal. While Shaq’s importance to their 2006 NBA championship can never be underrated, Mourning’s 11 seasons of excellence with the team carried him in this debate.
