How will Nikola Jovic look in second summer league with Heat? ‘I really do feel great’
.jpg "Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) knocks the ball away from Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic (5) during the fourth quarter in game one of the 2023 NBA Finals at Ball Arena.")
A lot has changed for forward Nikola Jovic since appearing in summer league as a Miami Heat rookie last year. He’s no longer a teenager and has one season of NBA experience under his belt, but most importantly he feels healthier.
Jovic, who turned 20 on June 9 and was drafted by the Heat with the 27th overall pick last year out of Serbia, hopes that all translates into a more productive summer league experience this time around after a quad injury limited him to just four summer league games last year.
“I feel a lot better,” Jovic said, with the Heat set to open summer league action on Monday against the Los Angeles Lakers as part of the California Classic in Sacramento (6 p.m., ESPN2). “Last year was not easy for me. Having the whole draft process, my body was not feeling great, I had back issues. Mentally, I was just not in a great place at that moment. But this year, I really do feel great. My body looks a lot better, I think my game is a lot better.”
Jovic’s rookie NBA season was also limited by an injury, as he missed 37 regular-season games because of a back issue. His final regular-season appearance came on Dec. 28, but only rest (not surgery) was required to fix the problem.
Even before Jovic went out with a back injury, he was not a consistent member of the Heat’s rotation. He averaged 5.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 8 of 35 (22.9 percent) from three-point range in 15 appearances (eight starts) in his first NBA regular season, with most of that playing time coming when the Heat’s roster was depleted by injuries.
“My back feels great,” Jovic said ahead of summer league. “It really feels good to move well again. I really had big problems before. But at this moment, my body does feel good. My conditioning is good. As long as my back is good, I feel like I can play whatever the minutes are and whoever the opponent is. Those back problems were real bad. I couldn’t do normal life stuff, not just basketball stuff. But as of now, my back is great.”
Through the injuries and time missed, Jovic continued to work in the Heat’s player development program. Two of the main focuses during his rookie season: Improve his outside shot and add muscle to his lanky frame.
Jovic feels like he made progress in both areas, working closely with Heat shooting coach Rob Fodor and adding nearly 20 pounds this past season.
“Most of my misses were short,” Jovic said of fine-tuning his three-point shot. “So we were working on my arc and just my connection, and my stance also. They never told me my shot was bad. But there’s just always some room to work and that’s what we did last year. I feel like my shot looks a lot better.”
Jovic knows there’s also still room to grow physically, but he’s pleased with the gains he’s accomplished in the last 12 months.
“I don’t think you need to look jacked to be strong,” Jovic said. “So yeah, I feel like I’ve put a lot on already, 240 pounds. I don’t know what the goal is, but we’re going to break through it and I’m for sure I’m going to put more weight on myself. As long as I can still be fast and move good on the floor, I feel like we can add weight.”
Jovic’s combination of size at 6-foot-10 and skill makes him an intriguing developmental prospect who could compete for a spot in the Heat’s rotation this upcoming season. The Heat’s hope is he’ll be able to stay healthy this summer league to show the growth he’s made over the past year.
“He’s a great student because he’s always looking to learn,” Heat assistant coach and summer league head coach Caron Butler said. “He’s added on a ton of muscle, looks like he’s grown a little bit, as well. But just him from a communication standpoint, that’s been a point of emphasis with his growth. He’s leading in so many ways.
“With Nikola, it’s probably not going to always be about scoring even though he’s going to do that well. But just his ability to make plays with his high basketball IQ is something you can’t teach. He has a great feel for the game of basketball, he’s another one that’s going to have the ball in different regions, whether it’s play-making, back to the basket, getting him downhill attacking, assaulting the paint. You’re going to see him doing multiple things, as well.”
