The Heat didn't make a big splash at this season's trade deadline, but they did make a couple of additions.
While Kevin Love joining the Heat after he was bought out by the Cavaliers grabbed headlines, the franchise picked up another veteran big man in Cody Zeller.
The 2022-23 season marks Zeller's 10th in the NBA. He's played in more playoff games with the Heat in this run (16) than he had in the rest of his career combined (11), and he now has an opportunity to win a championship.
How did Miami land Zeller, and why does he wear a mask? Here's what you need to know about the 30-year-old big man.
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Who is Cody Zeller?
Zeller was one of the top prospects in both his high school class and draft class.
The 7-footer played at Indiana University for two seasons, averaging 16.1 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. The Hornets selected him with the No. 4 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft ahead of CJ McCollum, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert, each of whom went later in the first round of the same draft.
Zeller spent the first eight seasons of his NBA career in Charlotte, starting in 273 of the 467 games in which he appeared. He signed a one-year contract with the Trail Blazers in 2021 as an unrestricted free agent. He then joined the Heat after being waived by both the Trail Blazers and Jazz.
Thankful for the opportunity! https://t.co/5xuhQHbvlE
— Cody Zeller (@CodyZeller) February 21, 2023
Zeller played in 15 games with the Heat during the 2022-23 regular season, including two starts. He wears jersey No. 44.
Why does Cody Zeller wear a mask?
Zeller has broken his nose twice in his NBA career. The second break came in the 2022-23 season.
Zeller suffered a nasal fracture in Miami's loss to Orlando on March 11. When he returned after missing six straight games, he wore a mask he still had from the first time he broke his nose.
"Everything looks encouraging," Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said ahead of Zeller's return. "I know what he wants to do and I know, based on previous history of guys with these kind of procedures, it will be sooner than later. But you just have to see how the swelling is and all that.
"He does have his old mask, so that will be a good thing."
Cody Zeller 2022-23 stats
Regular season
- 6.5 points per game
- 4.3 rebounds per game
- 0.7 assists per game
- 0.3 blocks per game
- 0.2 steals per game
- 14.5 minutes per game
- 62.7 percent field goal shooting
NBA Playoffs
- 2.6 points per game
- 2.7 rebounds per game
- 0.4 assists per game
- 0.2 blocks per game
- 0.1 steals per game
- 9.2 minutes per game
- 58.1 percent field goal shooting