Max Strus

Strus is an American wing who built an NBA career as a sharpshooting perimeter scorer after going undrafted in 2019. His path to the league included a decorated Division II career at Lewis University, a record-setting transfer season at DePaul, and a gradual climb from two-way contracts to a key rotation role. He reached the 2023 NBA Finals with the Miami Heat before moving to Cleveland.

Born on March 28, 1996, in Hickory Hills, Illinois, Strus attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, where he had a late growth spurt from 5 feet 9 inches to 6 feet 5 inches. As a senior, he averaged 19 points and nine rebounds and was named area player of the year. After receiving only one Division I offer, he committed to Lewis University, where his older brother Marty had played.

At Lewis, Strus averaged 13.3 points as a freshman and 20.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.5 assists as a sophomore, earning first-team all-GLVC and honorable mention Division II All-American honors. He set school records with 666 points in a season and 52 points in a game. He transferred to DePaul and after sitting out, averaged 16.8 points and made 81 three-pointers. In his final season, he averaged 20.1 points and set DePaul single-season records with 311 three-point attempts and 113 makes. He scored 1,226 points in two seasons with the Blue Demons.

After going undrafted in 2019, Strus signed a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics but was waived after two games. He joined the Chicago Bulls and played two games before signing with the Miami Heat in November 2020. With Miami, he developed into a reliable floor-spacer and reached the 2023 NBA Finals. In 2023, he signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Strus is a movement shooter with deep range and a quick release. He thrives off screens, dribble handoffs, and relocation around the arc. His size allows him to shoot over closeouts, and he has become a reliable complementary scorer on playoff teams. Defensively, he competes with positioning and effort, though his primary value remains on the offensive end as a floor-spacer and secondary creator.