What the Heat Are Getting in Nikola Jovic, a High-Upside Swing
Selecting Jovic at No. 27 was a forward-looking move by the Miami Heat.
MIAMI — In a 2021 survey, general managers named Nikola Jovic one of the best international players not in the NBA. On a list that included names such as Marc Gasol and Nikola Mirotic, Jovic was a relative unknown. But not to the Miami Heat, who selected Jovic with the 27th pick in Thursday night’s NBA Draft.
The Heat have been scouting Jovic in Europe over the past two years. Last year, the 19-year-old averaged 18.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.7 blocks in the FIBA U19 World Cup. Playing professionally for the Adriatic League’s Mega Basket club, Jovic averaged 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 28.5 minutes per game off the bench. Many of Miami’s key decision-makers — including assistant GM Adam Simon and lead scouts Chet Kammerer and Keith Askins — made several trips to see him in person.
“All of them are excited about him,” Pat Riley said after Thursday night’s selection.
This is a high-upside swing. None of the trades on the table — including deals to move back into the second round — were enticing enough to move the Heat out of the No. 27 slot. While players such as Ohio State’s E.J. Liddell and Gonzaga’s Andrew Nembhard are regarded as more NBA-ready, the Heat had Jovic at the top of their board. They considered G League Ignite guard Jaden Hardy — the second-ranked prospect in ESPN’s recruiting database a year ago — but felt Jovic gave them something they didn’t already have.
“He’s long, he’s tremendously skilled, so we’ll see where he goes from here,” Riley said. “We just think this kid is a burgeoning talent that you couldn’t pass up at 27.”
The 6-foot-11 forward with a 7-foot wingspan stands out because of his excellent ball skills, feel and basketball IQ. Jovic, who shot 34% on 3-pointers last season, projects as a floor-spacing forward. In whatever minutes he gets as a rookie, he should be able to make open shots right away. He took a lot of tough shots off the dribble in the ABA but scored 1.11 points per catch-and-shoot possession and his silky mechanics inspire optimism.
“I think I’m a really good spot-up shooter,” Jovic said.
“Wherever he shoots he shoots confidently,” Simon said. “There’s never any hesitation. He’s really good off the catch. A lot of the time he shoots off the dribble which is probably what hurts his percentages. He was asked to do a lot on that Mega team.”
Jovic played guard for most of his life but sprouted at least three inches in the last couple of years. Despite the late growth spurt, his guard skills are still evident. He has great court vision and is a natural passer, and his newfound size allows him to deliver challenging passes over the top of the defense.
“He sees the game. He can pass,” Simon said.
“He can run offense for you,” Riley said.
The 3-point shot combined with the ball skills opens up the rest of the floor for him as a scorer. Close out hard, and Jovic can put the ball on the deck and get to the basket. He doesn’t play above the rim, but he’s a crafty finisher and his shooting touch translates to the painted area.
Make no mistake, this is a long-term project for the Heat. They didn’t take him envisioning someone who can help in the playoffs as soon as next season.
Jovic is a lanky 227 pounds and needs to get stronger if he’s going to one day pair next to Bam Adebayo in the front court. It’ll be interesting to see what his offensive role looks like in whatever minutes he does get. He likely won’t be running pick-and-roll the way he did for Mega Basket, but he should have the green light to take 3s, attack closeouts and push the ball in transition.
Defensively, Jovic didn’t show much verve playing in the ABA but the Heat are confident he will commit to that end and can develop into a switch defender. High basketball-IQ, length and feathery footwork typically go both ways, and playing for Miami should inspire greater effort.
“The whole defensive disposition has to first come in your mind and in your heart,” Riley said. “I think the kid is athletic enough and quick enough and long enough to be able to play defense the way we want.”
How Jovic factors into next season’s rotation is less important than how he develops as a potential running mate alongside Tyler Herro and Adebayo. There’s a chance he could still grow a little, and he’ll certainly fill into his frame. At best, he will space the floor for Adebayo and give the Heat two playmaking, switchable bigs while also taking some of the shot-creating responsibilities off Herro. Jovic is very much a modern basketball player, and this was very much a forward-looking pick.
“The way we play, we’re switching all the time, we’re sort of this positionless basketball,” Riley said. “He has the ability to do those things. That’s how we see him. How he develops will determine whether or not he really develops into the kind of player we think he can be.”