Q+A: Norris Cole

by Tracy Weissenberg / @basketballista Unlike his famous teammate from Ohio, a career in the NBA never seemed predestined for rookie guard Norris Cole. The multi-sport high school athlete took advantage of an opportunity to play Division I basketball for Cleveland State and parlayed it into a first-round selection in the 2011 Draft. Cole, by way of Chicago and Minnesota, ended up on a Heat team hungry to erase the memory of last season’s loss to Dallas in the NBA Finals. For a Draft pick, it is often daunting to make a mark on a struggling franchise, but it is probably harder to make an impact on a Championship-caliber team. But Norris Cole has done exactly that. In his second career game, Cole erupted for 20 points against the Celtics to give Miami the win at home. He has continued to earn playing time, providing steady depth and valuable minutes for one of the top teams in the league. Averaging over 20 minutes and eight points, Cole is soaking in the game both on and off the court...