NBA FINALS: HEAT VS. NUGGETS

May 31, 2023

Gabe Vincent

Miami Heat

Media Day

Q. Gabe, you are the most compelling story of the season, the way you're playing, and the important role that you have for the team, and of course being in the Finals is a special situation. How would you summarize this season and how you achieved this goal to be here?

GABE VINCENT: This season has been interesting. We've had highs. We've had lows. Obviously we've made a push from the 8 seed to the Finals. We've showed a lot of resilience, a lot of persistence, a lot of belief in one another, and we're just excited for the opportunity that's ahead.

Q. You guys have won games on the road, three of them in Boston. How do you have that carry over to start the NBA Finals?

GABE VINCENT: Yeah, obviously we take the experience from this past series into the next, but this is a totally different series now. We start from blank, we start from scratch. It's 0-0, and we just try to approach each game with the right mindset and just try to take care of business.

Q. How is your ankle doing? Are you doing all right?

GABE VINCENT: Doing well, thank you.

Q. I'm curious, this team plays with a lot of confidence. I know you guys probably get tired of all the undrafted stuff. Who for you helped develop that kind of confidence and leadership? When did that start, what age and who helped you develop that?

GABE VINCENT: I'm sorry, at what age in life?

Q. Yeah, did that confidence and leadership develop for you and who helped you with that?

GABE VINCENT: I'd say the support of my family and friends has helped me over time, but I think you grow confidence in anything you're doing with the amount of work you put in, whether it's cooking or golf or basketball. I think we all put a lot of hours and time in and extra reps and shots, et cetera, that when the time comes, you have faith and have confidence because of the work you have instilled.

This group especially has put in a lot of work on the court, off the court, battling together. We're definitely a confident group.

Q. I talked with your old college coach, Coach Pasternack and he was talking about how your leadership was at your final year at UCSB. I'm curious for you what your time there was like and how it shaped you to get you to where you are now?

GABE VINCENT: Yeah, I'd say one of the most important things I've learned at Santa Barbara was the value of relationships. And I just had to alter my leadership style maybe at that time as a young kid to what it is now. And just continue to grow and evolve and find ways to be a better leader, to better inspire, to just help move the needle with whatever group I'm with as best as I can.

Q. Gabe, what's it like to represent Central Valley over there, and if athletes coming out of that area are overlooked?

GABE VINCENT: Yeah, it's awesome. There are athletes that came before me that I looked up to and I'm still close with. So I'm fortunate enough to be able to be the one right now that's in the limelight, to be able to represent our area the best I can, and I look forward to being able to represent Miami, as well, and trying to get this title.

Q. People have made a big deal with Jimmy Butler's playlist. How would you rate his playlist?

GABE VINCENT: A 10 out of 10. I love Jimmy's music taste. We go back and forth with music. I could listen to music with Jimmy for hours.