Former Illini Dain Dainja signs exhibit-10 deal with Miami Heat

Former Illini center Dain Dainja has reportedly signed an Exhibit 10 deal with the Miami Heat. Dainja spent three years (sat out one) in Champaign with the Illinois basketball program after two years at Baylor. After an incredible run to end the 2023-2024 season, Dainja chose to transfer to the Memphis Tigers. This made total sense for both parties as the Illini seemed to prefer a five-out offense, while Dainja thrived off of paint touches and rim pressure. Both the Illini and Dainja had a productive year in 2024-2025. The Illini made Tomislav Ivisic the center point of their offense, and he is expected to be one of the best centers in the country.

On the other hand, Dain Dainja became a focal point of the Memphis Tigers. He averaged 14.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. Though he went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft, Dainja played with the Miami Heat in the 2025 Summer League. Of note, that is the team that former Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis plays for.

Summer League Standout

While in the Summer League, Dainja averaged 8 points and 3 rebounds through three games. He made the most of limited minutes and has now signed an Exhibit-10 deal with the Heat. An Exhibit-10 contract is a one-year, non-guaranteed deal that offers players an opportunity to prove themselves in training camp and may be converted into a Two-Way contract before the start of the NBA regular season. Dain has some work to do if he wants to make an NBA roster for certain. However, he has shown impressive improvements in his game that put him in a position to succeed. With his skill and ability to run the floor, he can easily become an asset in the NBA.

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