Hassan Whiteside showed promise as early as last season and now, after some time settling in and working on his game, the former National Basketball Association (NBA) D-Leaguer is proving to one and all why the Heat were adamant about how he could develop into the next big center for the Miami Heat.

Apparently, his continuous improvement was a result of mentoring from the likes of Alonzo Mourning and guidance from Dwyane Wade.

Wade has, of course, played with the NBA greats like Mourning and Shaquille O' Neal and if Whiteside listens, he could be lined up next to those big names. So far in the current season, he has been living it up and standing tall.

With Whiteside partnering with Wade on the pick-and-rolls, one can just imagine how Whiteside's stock will all the more increase. In fact, it has and by next season, it won't be surprising if he is dangled a higher and more lucrative paycheck.

To date, Whiteside is being paid just $981,348 for his final year on the two year deal he agreed to with the Heat. Together with the much talked about spikes in salary cap next season, he stands to get an enormous pay increase.

Judging by what he has been showing, all of that would be worth it and surely the Miami Heat will be the first in line to offer him a better-paying contract.

To make sure he gets rewarded with that by 2016, he needs to maintain his focus and do the best that he can to help out the ball club. Right now, he admits feeling the difference compared to last season, being double teamed a lot to go with all that physicality centers normally get.

But all that comes with the territory. All he needs to do is continue to look for improvement which will eventually translate through won games. If he stays the course, Whiteside should be one of the big names in the middle soon.