Max Strus is a Chicago guy.
He grew up in the south suburbs of Hickory Hills, attending Stagg High School. He started his college career at Lewis University, before transferring to DePaul University for the final two seasons of his career in Lincoln Park.
He and Philadelphia 76er Paul Reed led the Blue Demons then to a 19-17 record and an eighth-place finish in the Big East during the 2018-19 season. (That's a major win for DePaul basketball fans, as I can attest.) Strus averaged 20.1 points per game that season and, guess what, 8.9 3-point attempts per game.
So, when Strus knocked down 7 3-pointers and 31 points against his hometown, and former team, you know it's not an accident. Strus by trade is a 3-point shooter. Always has been, always will be. But for some reason, teams still don't expect it.
"You wouldn't expect Strus to have 30-plus tonight. It seemed like he didn't miss in the first half," DeMar DeRozan said after the game.
Strus ended his night tying Jimmy Butler for a team-high against the Bulls. He shot 8-of-16 from the field and sunk 7 3-pointers on 12 attempts. He added six rebounds to his 36-minute night that saw him start against a team he once played in the G-League for.
In 2019, after going undrafted and waived by the Boston Celtics, he signed with his hometown team, the Chicago Bulls. He played 13 games during that season, scoring 18.2 points per contest with the Windy City Bulls. Unfortunately, a torn ACL in December cost him the rest of the year and placed his NBA career in jeopardy.
NBA
Strus signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Heat to, essentially, try out for the Heat's roster that summer. He made the squad and started laying the groundwork. He played in 39 games in his first season with the Heat, averaging 6.1 points per game. By his second year, he was averaging double-digit points in just over 23 minutes per game.
He signed a two-year deal with the Heat and became an instant fan favorite. "The Strus is Loose" stuck with him from his days as a Blue Demon. He fits snugly into Erik Spoelstra's system – running off screens and catch-and-shoot 3's – and found his niche with the Heat.
Strus will become a free agent this summer, after serving two years on his last contract. He'll have the chance to flaunt his skillset, even if it is limited to catch-and-shoot 3's, as he pointed out after the game.
"Probably shouldn't have," Strus said when asked if he should've mixed up his game against the Bulls. "No, I should probably just catch and shoot. That's probably what I'm best at. Keep it simple."
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I went to DePaul with Strus. And I don't mean just at the same time. I ran on DePaul's track team as a freshman during his senior season with the Blue Demons. I saw him around a lot, exchanging a few pleasantries. Being a DePaul stan, I watched him mostly every game during his outstanding senior season.
I'll tell you, watching Strus drop 43 points on St. John's in March with NBA scouts present at Wintrust Arena was electric. The energy was palpable from Indiana and Cermak Road to Belden-Racine Hall in my freshman dorm.
The best part about Strus' uncanny rise from D2 basketball, to mid-level D1 ball at DePaul, to the starting ranks of the NBA, is his personality. It hasn't changed. He's the same light-hearted, reserved, humble guy he was at DePaul.
"Got a couple of easy ones to start the game. Once I caught a rhythm, it was . . . everyone felt good after that," Strus said, refusing to boast more than a sentence about his game.
Strus, despite playing in Miami, is not disconnected from Chicago. He returns in the summer and runs an annual basketball camp at his high school. He has family in the city. His sister recently left DePaul's compliance department for a different job. Strus' crowd is still in Chicago.
He's anxious about how he'll be treated upon return, as he was the causal factor in knocking out his city's beloved Bulls.
"It's probably not gonna go well," Strus said. "I just hope when I go back in the summer, I don't get in any trouble. I think I should be OK. I got some fans out there that have my back. I have a lot of respect for the guys in that locker room.
"It definitely feels good to beat the hometown team."
The Bulls tried everything to contain their former teammate. Nothing worked. When Strus got loose from the Bulls, he made them pay. For that, he deserves and received cap tips from his former team.
"Max is really, really good," LaVine said. "I think there's always a little extra playing against a team that let you go. He has a huge role. Everything he has coming to him, he deserves. Great game by him. Sometimes you just tip your cap."