Still a UNLV fan, Birch feels himself getting better in NBA D-League

By Taylor Bern

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014 | 2 a.m.

Khem Birch left school a year early to become an undrafted, undersized forward playing in the NBA Developmental League with no guarantees for the future. Or at least that’s one way to view it.

There’s no doubt UNLV would have preferred to have the two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year back for his senior season, but after a lot of long nights Birch decided that wasn’t best for him. And while some could see him playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce as a clear sign he made the wrong choice, Birch is as excited as ever about his future.

“This is basically senior year to me,” Birch said, “because next year I think I’ll be in the NBA.”

His opportunity could come sooner than that.

After playing in the Las Vegas Summer League for the Washington Wizards, Birch signed a deal for $50,000 to attend the Miami Heat’s training camp. It went down to the wire and even though Birch said he wasn’t surprised to be the last cut, getting that close was all he needed to believe he belonged.

“It proved that I’m an NBA player,” Birch said. “Right now that’s not the situation. I have to develop, and that’s what I’m doing down here.”

Through 10 games Birch is averaging 15.2 points on 67 percent shooting, 10.1 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 2 assists per game. On Friday, Birch scored the majority of his 14 points in the fourth quarter, including two go-ahead free throws in the final minute of an eventual one-point loss to the Iowa Energy.

On Monday the Heat announced Josh McRoberts would be out for an extended period if not the rest of the season, so Miami might need a big man sooner than later. But even if the call doesn’t come right now, Birch is comfortable with his decision to leave Las Vegas.

“No disrespect to coach Rice, but over there I was just going to be the same player I was my junior year as a senior,” Birch said. “I came down here to get better and that’s what I’m doing.”

In nearly two full seasons at UNLV, Birch proved himself to be a dominant defensive force with a limited offensive game. He averaged 9.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game while finishing with 192 career blocks, two shy of the all-time program record.

Offensively, Birch was only ever consistent with his post moves from one block and his jumper was nonexistent. While he could get by on size in college, he’s not tall enough — NBA combine measurement: 6-foot, 7.5 inches without shoes — to do the same as a pro.

“You’ve got to win games. Me shooting 3s and me shooting mid-range shots is not going to win at UNLV, and I understood that,” Birch said. “I still love UNLV and I still love coach Rice, it’s just right now I needed to do that for my development.”

Improving that offensive arsenal is his top priority in the D-League, where individual improvement is often more important to organizations than win-loss records. Birch is also working on adding weight while keeping the same energy that made him a fan favorite.

In his free time, things aren’t all that different from Las Vegas. Birch plays a lot of video games, primarily Battlefield 4, and he’s been following his former team from afar. Birch said he talked to sophomore Chris Wood the previous day, so a reporter asked if he’s been telling Wood to stay in the post.

“I tell him that all the time. I swear to God, you can look at my texts right now,” Birch said. “He’s like ‘Ah man, they want me to play in the post.’ I’m like ‘Well look, you can be Anthony Davis.’ I always tell people, he can be Austin Daye or Anthony Davis, he can choose. It’s his decision, but at the end of the day he’s a first-round pick either way.”

Birch wants to be the next Rebel in the NBA, and he hopes Wood, Rashad Vaughn and a dozen others follow close behind. It’s clear Birch still has pride in the UNLV brand, even if he felt he had to leave in order to grow.

“I love coach Rice, I miss him so much and I miss all of the players over there,” Birch said, “but I think this was the best route just to get better and I think I’m getting better.”

Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.