Former MSU G D.J. Stewart Signs With Miami Heat

MIAMI, Florida (MSU Athletics) – After a successful NBA Summer League, D.J. Stewart Jr. has signed with the Miami Heat announced Tuesday by the franchise.

Stewart Jr. appeared in seven NBA Summer League games with three starts for the Heat. He averaged 7.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 42.9 percent from the floor over his two games at the California Classic.

Stewart Jr. picked up All-SEC Second-Team and NIT All-Tournament Team honors with the Bulldogs in 2020-21. The Grace, Mississippi, product was one of four Power 5 players to amass over 500-plus points and 100-plus assists last season. His 528 points were the sixth-highest for a sophomore in program history, while his two-year total of 792 points is just outside MSU’s top 10 for a player following his sophomore season.

Stewart Jr. became the first player in program history to rack up 20-plus points during three consecutive postseason games in a NCAA Tournament or NIT when he tallied 20 points against Saint Louis (03/20), 22 points versus Richmond (03/25) and 23 points against Louisiana Tech (03/27).

Stewart Jr. was one of three players to finish among the SEC’s top 15 in 20-plus point games (9 – 5th), points per game (16.0 – T-9th), field goal percentage (41.0 – 10th), free throw percentage (80.6 – 11th), assists per game (3.1 – 12th), steals per game (1.4 – 13th) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.0 – 14th) during the 2020-21 season.

Stewart Jr.’s career-high was 32 points against Dayton (12/12), and his SEC season’s best was 29 points at South Carolina (02/06). He drained the game-winning triple with two seconds remaining during State’s NIT Quarterfinal victory over Richmond (03/25) and nearly compiled a triple-double with a career-best 10 assists, coupled with nine points and seven rebounds during the Maroon and White’s SEC Tournament win over Kentucky (03/12).

The Mississippi State Athletic Ticket Office is selling 2021-22 season tickets. New season ticket purchasers can call (662) 325-2600, (888) Go Dawgs (888-463-2947) or visit www.HailState.com for more information.

Mississippi State has landed a quartet of impact transfers in Garrison Brooks (North Carolina), D.J. Jeffries (Memphis), Rocket Watts (Michigan State) and Shakeel Moore (North Carolina State), coupled with a solid freshmen class which features ESPN top 100 recruit KeShawn Murphy, Alden Applewhite and Cam Carter.

The Bulldogs also return two of their top three scorers in Iverson Molinar and Tolu Smith from 2020-21. Molinar ranked among the SEC’s top 10 in points per game (16.7 – 4th), field goal percentage (47.8 – 5th) and 20-plus point games (8 – T-7th), while Smith was the SEC leader in rebounds per game (8.5) and double-doubles (8) last season.

Mississippi State captured a runner-up finish at the 2021 NIT as the Bulldogs earned a bid in postseason play for the third consecutive time when postseason tournament have been played. State won seven of its last 10 games, highlighted by a combined five NCAA NET Quad 1 and Quad 2 victories down the stretch.