FROM FIRST START TO FIRST PRO SEASON: TRE DONALDSON COMES FULL CIRCLE

Tre Donaldson’s first professional season will bring him back to a familiar place.

Nearly three years before signing a two-way contract with the Miami HEAT, Donaldson made his first collegiate start on the same floor he is now set to call home. Playing for Auburn, the Tallahassee, Florida, native started against No. 20 Baylor at the Sanford Pentagon on November 7, 2023.

Donaldson finished with six points, three rebounds and one assist that night. It was an early step in a college career that would take him from Auburn to Michigan and back home to Miami before leading him back to Sioux Falls.

Before focusing on basketball, Donaldson established himself as one of Florida’s top two-sport athletes at Florida State University High School. In addition to playing point guard, he competed at quarterback and defensive back under former Heisman Trophy winner Charlie Ward.

Donaldson completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,765 yards and 15 touchdowns during the 2020 football season, earning Tallahassee Democrat Big Bend Offensive Player of the Year honors. He was rated as the No. 20 safety and No. 33 overall football prospect in Florida but ultimately chose to continue his career on the basketball court.

As a senior, Donaldson averaged 16.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.4 steals. He was named the 2022 Florida Dairy Farmers Association Player of the Year after leading the Seminoles to a state championship.

Donaldson began his collegiate career at Auburn, appearing in 32 games and averaging 10.5 minutes as a freshman during the 2022–23 season. His first taste of the NCAA Tournament included an 11-point performance in Auburn’s first-round victory over Iowa.

His role expanded as a sophomore. Donaldson played in all 35 games, made 10 starts and averaged 6.7 points, a team-high 3.2 assists and 2.4 rebounds. He helped the Tigers win the 2024 SEC Tournament championship before transferring to Michigan.

Donaldson stepped into a larger role in the Wolverines’ backcourt, starting all 37 games during the 2024–25 season. He averaged 11.3 points, a team-high 4.1 assists and 3.5 rebounds while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 37.5 percent from three-point range. His 63 made three-pointers ranked second on the team.

That season also marked Donaldson’s first alongside future Skyforce teammate Vladislav Goldin, who started all 37 games with him at Michigan. The pair will now reunite in Sioux Falls as Miami HEAT two-way players.

Some of Donaldson’s biggest moments came late in the season. With Michigan trailing Maryland by one in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals, he drove the length of the floor and converted a left-handed layup with 0.4 seconds remaining to give the Wolverines an 81-80 victory.

One day later, Donaldson recorded 11 points and eight assists as Michigan defeated Wisconsin to capture the Big Ten Tournament championship. The victory gave him back-to-back conference tournament titles with two different programs.

Donaldson returned to his home state for his final collegiate season, transferring to the University of Miami. He developed into one of the ACC’s top guards, averaging 16.4 points, a team-high 5.7 assists and 3.7 rebounds across 35 games. He made 33 starts, shot 45 percent from the field and helped lead the Hurricanes to the NCAA Tournament in their first season under head coach Jai Lucas.

His senior season featured several of the best performances of his college career. Donaldson recorded 27 points and 10 assists in a victory over Georgia Tech and was named ACC Player of the Week after averaging 24.0 points and 8.0 assists across wins over Wake Forest and Georgia Tech.

He later set a career high with 32 points in a win over Virginia Tech, scoring Miami’s final 15 points to close the game. Donaldson also produced 21 points, six rebounds and six assists in a road victory over Florida State in his hometown of Tallahassee.

Donaldson carried that production into the postseason, finishing with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists in Miami’s NCAA Tournament victory over Missouri.

His senior-year performance earned him All-ACC Second Team and NABC Division I All-Southeast District Second Team honors. Over his final two collegiate seasons, Donaldson averaged 13.8 points and 4.9 assists while starting 70 of 72 games.

After going undrafted in the 2026 NBA Draft, Donaldson joined the HEAT for Summer League and signed a two-way contract with Miami on July 3.

The physical, pass-first guard quickly demonstrated his ability to create for himself and his teammates. During the California Classic, Donaldson produced 15 points, six assists, five rebounds and three steals in Miami’s 95-85 victory over the Golden State Warriors Gold.

Donaldson continued to make his mark in Las Vegas, averaging 13.0 points and a Summer League-best 8.2 assists across five games. He saved his best performance for Miami’s finale, finishing with 20 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds while shooting 8 of 12 from the field and 3 of 4 from three-point range in a 101-87 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

Now, the next stage of Donaldson’s career brings him back to the Sanford Pentagon, where his size, physicality, playmaking and ability to attack the paint could make him a versatile option in the Skyforce backcourt.

The floor that hosted Donaldson’s first collegiate start will now provide the setting for his first professional season—and another opportunity for the young guard to take the next step.