The verdict is still out on Kasparas Jakucionis, but he does possess an unteachable trait that will make him as close to a can't-miss prospect as the Miami Heat have had in recent years. And it's his relentless motor and hard work that he continues to put in that isn't always noticeable through the stat sheet.
That doesn't mean that Jakucionis is destined to be a star in the NBA, but it will take him far in this league. Hard work and talent are just the formula that has made past Heat prospects so successful.
Jakucionis could very well be the next in line to step into that territory.
Tyler Herro praises Kasparas Jakucionis
All throughout his rookie season, his coaches and teammates have spoken to his work ethic. Now, even Tyler Herro is putting a vote of confidence behind the future development of Jakucionis.
Herro called Jakucionis "one of the hardest workers he's been around" when speaking of the rookie recently.
“He comes in every day, works his tail off. … As he continues to get older and more comfortable, you’ll just continue to see how good Kas is.”
Considering the players that Herro has played with through the first few years of his career in Miami, these are pretty strong words. Herro is essentially saying that he's willing to put Jakucionis in the same class of hard workers as Bam Adebayo and Jimmy Butler.
If you're a Heat fan, that's music to your eyes.
The best is yet to come for Kasparas Jakucionis
Even though the results are not as consistent as perhaps Heat fans would ideally want to see from Jakucionis thus far, it's pretty clear that he's putting in the hard work behind the scenes. And in just his rookie season, it may only be a matter of time before the true dividends are evident for him.
Heading into this season, the expectation was always that Jakucionis would be a project. Despite the fact that he had some lottery hype early during his freshman season in college, the fact is that Jakucionis was a selection outside the lottery.
It's rare when those types of players flash in their first season. The fact that Jakucionis has is a great sign for his future.
In the Heat's developmental system, you have to trust Jakucionis at this point. He has the raw talent, and now that it's evident that he is also one of the hardest workers in the organization, it does lead you to believe that he may be un-bustable at this point as a prospect.
Time will ultimately test that theory, but the Heat have to love where Jakucionis' development is and the type of work ethic that he's embraced through his rookie season.