Max Strus

About

Max Strus ( STROOSS; born March 28, 1996) is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Lewis Flyers and the DePaul Blue Demons. Prior to the Cavaliers, Strus played two games for the Chicago Bulls in his rookie season before signing with the Miami Heat, with whom he reached the NBA Finals in 2023.

Strus was born in the Chicago suburb of Hickory Hills, Illinois, and is of Slovenian and German descent. He attended Amos Alonzo Stagg High School, where he was a member of the baseball and basketball teams. Although he entered his sophomore year at 5’9″, he had a late growth spurt and was 6’5″ by the end of high school. As a senior, Strus averaged 19 points and nine rebounds per game and was named the area player of the year by The Reporter, All-Southwest Suburban Conference, All-Area by the SouthtownStar and third team All-State. After having only received one Division I offer (Chicago State), Strus committed to play at Division II Lewis University, where his older brother Marty had played.

Strus began his collegiate career at Lewis…