In a sitdown interview with Goran Dragic, Nikola Jovic credited Erik Spoelstra’s hard coaching for his development, but admitted that he wasn’t ready for it when he first entered the league.
“Coming here, they want you to do a lot and be smart and at the moment, when I first came, I’m not really sure if I was ready for that,” Jovic said. “I really needed some time to develop. And, you know, thanks to the coaches, Coach Spo and the front office and everybody around here, they’re really helpful. Spo was really hard on me and I really appreciate that now.”
Dragic interjected, “I know why. I know why. Because he sees something in you. So, that’s why.”
Jovic went on and said he noticed the same approach with Miami’s other rookies, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Kel’el Ware, who were drafted in the two years after the Heat took Jovic with the 27th pick in 2022.
“I really appreciate it now. You really understand why he did some of the stuff he did, not only to bring the best out of me, but he did the same thing to the other guys,” Jovic said. “It really helped. At this moment, right now, I feel a lot more comfortable, and it’s just easier to play.”
Nikola Jovic opens up about Erik Spoelstra’s “hard” coaching.
Nikola Jovic starts to talk about how Coach Spo is hard on him and pushes him
— Heat Culture (@HeatCulture13) April 23, 2025
Goran interrupts “I know why I know why, because he sees something in you, that’s why”
(Via @MiamiHEAT) 🥹 pic.twitter.com/HeJR3woWde
Jovic, who hadn’t played real minutes since breaking his hand at the end of February, returned to Miami’s rotation on Wednesday night and, though he had some costly gaffes late in Game 2, did help spark a run that gave the Heat a chance late.
Jovic played the entire fourth quarter and finished the game with 11 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 25 minutes. But he also turned the ball over twice in the final 2:45 when he threw a pair of bad passes. He also missed a wide-open 3 from the corner with 33 seconds left that could have cut the deficit to one possession.
Jovic was hard on himself after the game.
“The stuff that I did at the end is really unacceptable,” he said. “I really did cost us the game and I just got to be better. This is my third year. I’m not a rookie anymore. I’ve seen what’s the deal and how to get to the playoffs, and the stuff that I did today was just not good.”
Perhaps another hard lesson for Jovic.