Tag: nikola jovic

Heat rookie Nikola Jovic currently playing in G League

Via the South Florida Sun Sentinel:

It’s about the experience, the minutes, the speed and strength of something closer to the NBA game.

That has been the message for Miami Heat rookie big man Nikola Jovic when it comes to his seasoning in the G League.

And it is an essential message when it comes to maintaining perspective, considering that in his five G League appearances so far, the 6-foot-10 first-round pick out of Serbia is shooting .255 from the field and .143 on 3-pointers.

“I’m not worried about that,” coach Erik Spoelstra said, with the Heat on Saturday facing the San Antonio Spurs in Mexico City before a two-day break and start of a four-game homestand. “He’s really been working at it, and sometimes you just need to feel comfortable to be able to knock down open shots.”

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Heat notes: rookie Nikola Jovic

Via the Miami HErald:

On Friday, rookie Nikola Jovic was in Boston with the Miami Heat. On Saturday and Sunday, Jovic was in South Dakota with the Heat’s G League affiliate. And on Monday, Jovic was back with the Heat in Memphis before returning with the team to Miami for Tuesday night’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons.

The last few days have been a whirlwind for Jovic, but the 19-year-old Serbian forward was not surprised when he was told Friday to take a flight to South Dakota to join the Sioux Falls Skyforce for one G League game.

“Nothing was a surprise,” Jovic said, as the Heat returned to Miami following Monday’s 101-93 road loss to the Memphis Grizzlies to open a three-game homestand on Tuesday against the Pistons. “I knew at one moment that I was going to go because they told me they want me to play a little bit. At this moment, there was no space for me to be on the court with the Heat guys. But they told me they want me to play. So I kind of knew [I would go to the G League], I just didn’t know when. It just happened to be now and I was really happy.”

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Miami Heat sign rookie Nikola Jovic

The Miami HEAT have signed their first round draft pick (27th overall) Nikola Jović.

Jović, who was named the 2022 All-Adriatic League Top Prospect of the Year, appeared in 25 games with Mega Basket last season and averaged 11.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 27.2 minutes while shooting 42.8 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from three-point range and 75.4 percent from the foul line. He finished second on the team in scoring average, field goals made and three-point field goals made and third in rebounds per game. Jović scored in double-figures 16 times, including three 20-point games, while attempting 236 field goals, 118 from two-point range and 118 from three-point range. The 19-year-old was named to the All-Tournament Team while representing Serbia in the 2021 FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup and was named MVP of the Belgrade qualifier in the 2020-21 Euroleague Tournament.

Jović is currently participating with the HEAT’s Summer League team in both the California Classic in San Francisco and the NBA 2K23 Summer League in Las Vegas with Miami’s first game today vs. the Lakers.