2 Draft day Jaime Jaquez takes that were laughably wrong

When the Miami Heat selected Jaime Jaquez Jr. with the 18th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, many analysts were left questioning the pick.

Jaquez had an impressive college career, but there were doubts about whether his game could translate to the professional level. However, many of the early takes on Jaquez have aged poorly. Here's a breakdown of the draft-day reactions that missed the mark.

1. "Will he be worth the No. 18 selection?"

Grade: C- (Sports Illustrated)

Sports Illustrated took a cautious approach in their evaluation, admitting that while Jaquez had proven himself as a productive college player, they were uncertain about how well his skills would translate to the NBA, saying, "It's almost foolish to ever give Miami a poor draft grade given the track record, but we'll see how this one turns out. Just a few picks outside of the lottery, the Heat selected Jaquez, who was productive in college but may not have every translatable skill. There's no question he was what it takes to be an impactful NBA player, but will he be worth the No. 18 selection?"

They pointed out that Miami, with its history of developing talent, could potentially make Jaquez into a solid player but questioned whether he was worth the 18th overall pick. The overall assessment left lingering doubts about his ability to justify the draft position, and they handed the Heat a C- grade​.

It's easy to say a player can be impactful, but with the team that drafted him, why would the skillset not translate well? Jaquez has incredible footwork, can handle the basketball, can read the open floor, has the ability to finish at the basket, and is a high IQ defender. The only real question was his three-point ability.

Jaquez quickly proved that his college success wasn’t a fluke, showcasing a game that was built for the NBA. His adaptability and the traits listed allowed him to fit seamlessly into the Heat’s system. From his offensive versatility to his defensive contributions, Jaquez was able to contribute in meaningful ways. He showed that his well-rounded skill set—especially his ability to score in a variety of ways and his understanding of the game—was not only NBA-ready but valuable to a team with championship aspirations.

Jaquez also finished the season finishing fourth in the NBA's Rookie of the Year voting, landing behind the generational San Antonio Spurs' Victor Wembanyama, Oklahoma City's Chet Holmgren, and the Charlotte Hornet's Brandon Miller. Three incredible players who were taken in the top three of their draft class! Sounds like good company.

In retrospect, the cautious tone of Sports Illustrated’s evaluation missed the mark. Jaquez wasn’t a developmental project; he was ready to contribute from day one.