He might not be the biggest contributor to the Heat this season, but Caleb Martin regardless had a massively impactful series for Miami in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Martin averaged 19.3 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.7 assists vs. Boston, shooting at a ridiculous clip in the process: 60.9 percent from the field and 48.9 percent from 3-point range. The fourth-year NBA player had perhaps his biggest game of the series when it mattered most, scoring 26 points on 11-of-16 shooting and nabbing 10 rebounds in a 103-84 Game 7 win.
While Miami doubtless would have preferred to sweep the Celtics, the game did help elevate Martin’s profile ahead of the NBA Finals tilt vs. the Nuggets. His talent has been undeniable at the high school and collegiate levels, though he was still mostly unheralded as he entered the league in 2019.
Martin spent his first two seasons in Charlotte before joining the Heat. Now in his second season in Miami, he has enjoyed his greatest statistical season yet in the NBA, averaging per-game career highs in minutes played (29.3), points (9.6), rebounds (4.8) and assists (1.6).
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Here’s everything you need to know about Martin’s pre-NBA playing career — from high school through college — and where he was selected in the 2019 NBA Draft:
Where is Caleb Martin from?
Martin hails from Mocksville, N.C. It’s roughly a two-hour drive west of Raleigh, N.C., where he committed to play collegiately out of high school.
Caleb Martin high school
Martin began his high school basketball career at Davie County High School (Mocksville, N.C.). After three seasons playing for the War Eagles, Martin and twin brother Cody transferred to play a single season at Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.). The private Baptist-affiliated school is considered one of the top high school basketball programs in the U.S.
There, the Martin brothers helped Oak Hill to a 41-4 record and runner-up finish in the 2015 Dick’s Sporting Goods High School National Tournament. Caleb Martin was selected to the all-tournament team and won Oak Hill’s individual 3-point shooting award that season.
Caleb Martin was a four-star recruit who ranked as the 68th-best player in the 2014 class, per 247Sports. He was also the 15th-ranked small forward in the class, and the No. 4 player from Virginia.
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Where did Caleb Martin go to college?
Martin played at N.C. State for two years (2014-16) before finishing his college career at Nevada, where he played from 2016-19 (including a redshirt season in 2016-17).
Initially, he and brother Cody committed to play for Wolfpack coach Mark Gottfried at N.C. State, roughly two hours from their hometown. Caleb Martin averaged more than 25 minutes per game in his last year playing for the Wolfpack but, according to a 2016 report from the Reno Gazette Journal, felt uncomfortable playing in Gottfried’s system.
The Martins reportedly visited both East Carolina and Cal aside before settling on the Wolf Pack and coach Eric Musselman; Caleb Martin’s bio says he chose Nevada over Rutgers and Providence, as well.
“You look at the roster and the commits and people they’re recruiting and that played a part in our decision,” he said at the time, via the Gazette Journal. “To be able to play with those guys from big-time schools and to have that competition every day in practice will help.”
Martin played in the NCAA Tournament three times in his four active seasons, only missing March Madness in 2016. He made the Sweet 16 as a freshman in 2014-15 and again in 2018 (this time with Nevada).
Caleb Martin stats
Below are Martin’s college stats at both N.C. State and Nevada:
N.C. State stats
| Season | MPG | PPG | FG% | RPG | APG |
| 2014-15 | 16.6 | 4.8 | 35.6 | 2.9 | 0.7 |
| 2015-16 | 30.3 | 11.5 | 38.9 | 4.7 | 1.4 |
Nevada stats
| Season | MPG | PPG | FG% | RPG | APG |
| 2017-18 | 33.3 | 18.9 | 45.4 | 5.4 | 2.6 |
| 2018-19 | 34.1 | 19.2 | 40.9 | 5.1 | 2.8 |
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Caleb Martin NBA Draft
Caleb Martin was not selected in the 2019 NBA Draft, though his brother Cody Martin went 36th overall to the Hornets.
Caleb Martin once again joined his brother, signing with Charlotte on a two-way contract (though he quickly agreed to a multi-year deal that was converted to a standard contract). Caleb Martin played two seasons in Charlotte before he was waived by the team. He joined the Heat in 2021.
Is Caleb Martin related to Kenyon Martin?
According to his N.C. State and Nevada bios, Caleb Martin is not related to Kenyon Martin, the Cincinnati star who went No. 1 overall in the 2000 NBA Draft.
Caleb Martin’s parents are Jenny Eure and Tyrone Martin. He and Cody also have an older brother, Raheem.
