Miami Heat Player Countdown: 20. Keith Askins

Keith Askins, born, raised, and schooled in Athens, AL, was a 6'7" guard and forward in his time with the Heat. Born on December 15th, 1967, he was a four year letterman for the University of Alabama. As a senior, he scored 10 points with five rebounds and 1.3 assists per game. After graduating with the Class of 1990, he went undrafted, but signed on as a free agent to play for Miami.

As a rookie in 1990-91, Askins played 39 times, starting once at small forward. He shot 42% from the field in 6.8 minutes per appearance, scoring 2.2 points with 1.7 rebounds. Miami went 7-32 with him in the lineup. On April 3rd, he scored a season high 10 points with three rebounds in 12 minutes in a 127-114 loss to the Golden State Warriors. In Miami's final game on April 20th, he scored eight points with six rebounds, four steals and two blocks as the 24-58 Heat closed with a loss to the New Jersey Nets, 118-103.

1991-92 would see Askins appear 59 times, starting four times. He scored 3.7 points per game on 41% shooting, adding 2.4 rebounds in 14.3 minutes. In a 118-112 overtime win against the Indiana Pacers on December 18th, he scored a season high 18 points off the bench on seven-of-11 shooting with five rebounds and three steals. He scored 14 points with nine rebounds and three assists on February 5th when the Heat lost to the Golden State Warriors, 126-124. Miami earned their first trip to the postseason with an eighth seed clinching 38-44 record, only to lose three straight to the Chicago Bulls. Askins totaled 48 minutes, scoring 13 points with nine rebounds.

In 1992-93, Askins started once out of his 69 appearances, scoring 3.3 points with 2.9 rebounds in 13.6 minutes per game. He shot 41.3% overall from the field. He scored in double digits four times, and helped the Heat to a 29-40 record while in the rotation. On November 28th, in his only start of the season, he scored six points with 12 rebounds, four steals and three assists in a 112-100 loss to the Atlanta Hawks. In a 116-107 loss to the Charlotte Hornets on February 12th, he scored 10 points with nine rebounds and two blocks. On April 23rd, in a 121-120 overtime victory against the Bullets, he set season highs with 14 points and 16 rebounds, also making three blocks in his first career double double. The Heat went 36-46.

Askins appeared 37 times off the bench in 1993-94, playing 8.6 minutes per night and scoring 2.3 points on 40.9% shooting with 2.2 boards. The Heat went 20-17 with Askins. On December 30th, in a 108-100 loss to the Magic, he scored seven points with eight rebounds. In a 113-80 victory over the Washington Bullets on Janaury 23rd, he scored a season high 13 points, going a perfect six-for-six from the field. He scored 13 points again on April 2nd, also collecting seven rebounds in a 110-87 loss to the New York Knicks. Miami finished at 42-40, but lost three out of five to the Atlanta Hawks in the opening round of the postseason. Askins played six minutes in one game, turning the ball over twice, missing a shot, and making one offensive rebound.

1994-95 would see Askins appear 50 times, starting five games at small forward. He scored 4.6 points shooting 39.1% from the field, with four rebounds in 17.1 minutes per appearance. Miami went 23-27 with Askins on the floor, as he scored 10 or more points on seven occasions. He scored a season high 19 points wh eight rebounds on January 30th in a 95-92 loss to the Hawks. In a 98-75 win over the Detroit Pistons on February 1st, he scored 11 points with 10 rebounds and four steals for his second career double double. He got his third on February 28th, in a 95-85 win against the Bucks, when he scored 16 points with 14 rebounds. The Heat went 32-50, missing the playoffs for the fifth time in their first seven seasons.

In 1995-96, Askins appeared 75 times, starting 14 times. He played a career high 25.3 minutes per game, and also set career highs with 6.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. He shot 40.2% from the floor. He helped the Heat go 38-37, and scored in double figures 16 times. On December 1st, in an overtime, 108-101 Heat win against the Hornets, he hit eight-of-13 shots for 21 points, also collecting seven boards with four blocks. He scored 15 points with 13 rebounds and four more blocks on December 16th in an 83-74 Heat loss to the Utah Jazz. In a 96-89 win against the San Antonio Spurs on January 22nd, he scored 11 points with 11 rebounds. Miami went 42-40, but were swept by the Bulls in three games for a second time to open the playoffs. Askins scored 13 points in 48 minutes over three games.

Askins started in 30 of his career high 78 appearances in 1996-97, playing 22.7 minutes per game. He shot 43.3% for 4.9 points, with 3.5 rebounds and one assist per contest. He scored 10 or more points 13 times. In a 106-90 win against the Pacers on February 13th, he scored a season high 15 points. He scored 11 points with 10 rebounds and three steals on February 23rd in a win against the Nuggets, 95-86. On April 14th, He scored 13 points with five rebounds in a loss to the Minnesota TimberWolves, 95-87. Miami won the division title and the second seed in the East with a 61-21 record. They defeated the Magic and the Knicks in the playoffs before losing in five games to the Bulls. Askins played in 12 of the Heat's 17 postseason contests, totaling 30 points and 28 rebounds.

1997-98 would see Askins appear in a smaller role than in the past season, playing 46 times total with 12 starts. He shot 32% from the field in 14.8 minutes per game, scoring 2.4 points with 2.2 rebounds. The Heat posted a 32-14 record With Askins. He only scored 10 or more points once, on March 5th, when the Heat defeated the Houston Rockets, 117-93. Askins scored exactly 10 points. Miami went on to a 55-27 record. Although Miami collected a second seed, they didn't make it past the first round of the playoffs, losing to the Knicks, three-games-to-two. Askins scored five points with seven rebounds in 58 minutes over four games.

Askins appeared 33 times in his final NBA season, 1998-99, scoring a total of 53 points with 44 rebounds and 17 steals. He retired after getting waived, immediately linking on as a coach with the Heat. This past weekend, he was promoted to director of college and pro scouting.

All-Time HEATline: Nine seasons, 486 games, 16.4 minutes, 3.8 points, 2.9 rebounds. 0.8 assists, 0.6 steals, 0.3 blocks, 9.1 PER, 14.9 win shares.