Ex-NBA player Shane Battier named head of Heat analytics department

Shane Battier has returned to the Miami Heat.

Battier is now a member of the Heat front office, assuming the newly created role of director of basketball development and analytics. The Heat announced the move Thursday, describing Battier's new job as one where he will develop analytics to evaluate talent, including college players, free agents and members of the existing roster.

"My goal, as is the entire organization's, is to bring another championship back to Miami," Battier said.

Battier played 13 seasons in the NBA, including his last three in Miami, and helped the Heat win championships in 2012 and 2013. He and his family have continued to call South Florida home, and Battier has maintained ties with the organization.

He has been close with Heat managing general partner Micky Arison and CEO Nick Arison since his playing days at Duke, when Nick Arison was the Blue Devils' manager.

"I am thrilled to be joining the front office of the Miami Heat," Battier said. "I look forward to working with the Arison family, learning from a Hall of Fame executive in Pat Riley, general manager Andy Elisburg and of course my old coach, Erik Spoelstra."

Battier was enormously popular among fans and teammates in his tenure with the Heat. He was a key part in the second and third championships won by the Heat, and now he'll be asked to help them win a fourth.

"We believe Shane is an incredible example of our Heat program, not only for the present, but also for the future," said Riley, the Heat president. "He embodies everything that we are looking for in our players and staff. We feel he will help us tremendously with his experience and knowledge of the game. Shane is an out-of-the-box thinker and will bring a fresh expertise that can help us evolve as a franchise."

The Heat went to the NBA Finals in all three seasons that Battier played in Miami. He won the Twyman-Stokes NBA Teammate of the Year award in 2014 and the Magic Johnson Award for excellence on the court with cooperation with media and fans in 2013, both of those coming during his Heat tenure.

He retired with career averages of 8.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 44 percent shooting.