The Miami Heat own the 27th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. With that, the sincerest hope is in the Serbian phenom, Nikola Jovic.
Have you watched a lot of KK Mega Basket? No?
Well, you are not alone, but the draft process leaves you digging into Jovic tape and there is a lot to love. The 19-year-old played a combined 29 games in 2021-2022, including 21 starts.
He averaged 12 points, four rebounds, and three assists per game. He shot 41 percent from the field, 31 percent from three, and 71 percent from the charity stripe.
Regarding raw measurables, the young forward has a lot to love at 6’10” and weighing roughly 210 pounds. Flipping on the tape, it is clear where the upside leaps off the film.
Jovic is exhilarating in transition and can swing the ball all over the court. He possesses the size to shoot over players and when he gets to his spots, he looks unstoppable.
The Miami Heat may use their 27th pick in the 2022 NBA Draft or they may not. If they do though, Nikola Jovic is a guy they should be interested in.
He also shows some encouraging flashes off-ball, continuing to move and find open space in the halfcourt. He is a raw prospect but it is clear that scoring will not be an overwhelming issue for Jovic and he seems to have a few shots (three off the elbow, a spinning drive down the lane for the layup) that he can fall back on.
His upside, raw talent, youth, and measurables could have him going off the board right after the lottery, but most of the mock drafts I have seen predict a selection in the 21 to 29 range. That’s jus perfect for the Heat.
Obviously, it is not all roses for the Serbian prospect. His advanced stats turnover percentage of 21 through the year is shockingly high, showing that some of that electric passing is more than a bit out of control.
He has just as many games scoring 20 or more points as he does five or fewer, which means as good as the shot looks, it can go quiet on occasion. As a wing in today’s NBA, he will need to become a better outside scorer too.
For Jovic, there is seemingly just as much to work on as there is to love, but his ceiling appears to be high. His raw talent could give the Heat a valuable and stretchy four/five-man hybrid player on a roster that does not need to produce points immediately, allowing for time to grow.
The aforementioned warts could help him fall right into Miami’s lap and with some careful coaching (what team instructs the back of their roster better than Miami), Jovic be the next great European player in the Miami Heat’s system.