Last Updated on April 17, 2026 by Mat Diekhake

Here’s detailed information about Max Strus:

Player Profile

  • Full Name: Max Tanner Strus
  • Nickname: “The Strus is Loose” / “The Concept” (publicly used nicknames; “The Concept” is fan-driven) (NBA)
  • Nationality: American
  • Date of Birth: March 28, 1996
  • Hometown: Hickory Hills, Illinois, United States (NBA)
  • Height: 6’5″ (1.96 m)
  • Weight: 215 lbs (98 kg)
  • Wingspan: 6’7.5″ (CraftedNBA)
  • Shoe Size: 14 (NBA)
  • Jersey Number:
  • Position: Shooting guard / small forward; NBA-listed guard-forward (NBA)
  • High School: Amos Alonzo Stagg High School (Palos Hills, Illinois) (247Sports)
  • College: Lewis University; DePaul University
  • NBA Draft: Undrafted, 2019, no team selected him
  • Teams Played For:
    • Chicago Bulls (2019–2020)
    • Miami Heat (2020–2023)
    • Cleveland Cavaliers (2023–present)
  • Player Archetype: Movement shooting wing / floor-spacing two-guard / offensive connector
  • Primary Offensive Role: Off-ball spacer, movement shooter, secondary attacker who can keep the ball moving and punish closeouts
  • Defensive Role: Competitive team defender on the wing; cross-matchable against guards and some smaller forwards
  • Play Style: High-volume perimeter shooter with constant off-ball movement, relocation threes, quick-trigger catch-and-shoot ability, straight-line drives, and useful connective passing
  • Handedness / Shooting Hand: Right-handed / shoots right
  • Athletic Profile: Solid NBA wing athlete with good size and functional strength; more fluid and physical than explosive
  • Recruiting Status: Lightly recruited; 247Sports listed him as unrated/N/A, and he initially had only one Division I offer before going to Division II Lewis (247Sports)
  • Draft Status Detail: 2019 undrafted free agent who worked his way into the league after college stops at Lewis and DePaul (NBA)
  • Injury Status Category: Active / returning from major foot injury; Strus underwent surgery for a left foot Jones fracture in August 2025 and made his 2025-26 season debut on March 15, 2026 (ESPN.com)
  • Career Stage: Prime veteran rotation wing
  • Comparison Style: Duncan Robinson-type movement gravity with a sturdier frame and a bit more rebounding/connector value
  • Championship Rings: 0
  • Parents: John Strus and Debbie Strus (NBA)
  • Children: None publicly reported
  • Siblings: Older brother Marty Strus; older sister Maggie Strus (NBA)
  • Athlete Relatives:
    • Marty Strus — played basketball at Lewis
    • Maggie Strus — played volleyball at UIC
    • Debbie Strus — played basketball and volleyball at DePaul
    • John Strus — pitched at Eastern Illinois
    • Cousin Katie Reilly — played volleyball at Wichita State and beach volleyball at South Carolina
    • Cousin Stacey Reilly — played volleyball at Louisiana University
    • Cousin Clark Brinkman — played baseball at Creighton and was drafted by the Detroit Tigers (NBA)

Player Archetype / Play Style

Max Strus’s player archetype is that of a movement shooting wing: a floor-spacing guard-forward who puts real pressure on a defense with constant off-ball activity, quick-release three-point shooting, and the ability to keep possessions flowing without needing to dominate the ball. Defensively, he fits best as a competitive team defender on the wing rather than a true stopper, using his solid 6’5″ frame, strong build, and respectable length to hold up against guards and some forwards while staying active within a scheme. Offensively, his main value comes as a relocation shooter, catch-and-shoot threat, and secondary connector who can attack scrambling closeouts, move the ball, and chip in on the glass. Physically, he is sturdy, well-sized for a modern wing, and more functional than explosive, which lines up with a play style built on motor, spacing gravity, timing, and toughness rather than pure burst. (NBA)

Sources:

NBA.com — Max Strus | Guard-Forward | Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
247Sports — Max Strus, Chicago, Shooting Guard (247Sports)
Lewis University Athletics — Max Strus – Men’s Basketball (Lewis University Athletics)
DePaul University Athletics — Max Strus – MEN’S BASKETBALL (DePaul University Athletics)
ESPN — Cavaliers’ Max Strus has foot surgery, out 3-4 months (ESPN.com)
NBA.com — Cavaliers’ Max Strus makes season debut against Mavericks (NBA)
Forbes — How Miami Heat Guard Max Strus Went From Division II Lewis University To NBA Playoffs Starter