It has been an encouraging rookie season for Heat’s Jakucionis: ‘He’ll continue to get better’
.JPG "Miami Heat guard Kasparas Jakucionis (25) reacts after scoring against the Orlando Magic in the first half of their NBA game at Kaseya Center on March 14, 2026, in Miami.")
For those who wondered whether Miami Heat rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis would play meaningful minutes in his first NBA season, the answer to that question became clear early in the schedule.
As a 19-year-old rookie, Jakucionis played in 53 games and made 12 starts this regular season. The only player in franchise history who played in more regular-season games with the Heat as a teenager is Justise Winslow, who played in 69 games as a 19-year-old in his rookie season in 2015-16.
“I’m very encouraged by the progress that he’s made,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jakucionis ahead of the postseason. “He’s willed himself through his work and consistent actions to be pretty consistent in our rotation the last several weeks. That was hard-earned.
“He’s a lot better now than where he was coming into training camp, and certainly where he was in summer league. But he’s relentless, and he wants to get better. You have to respect his competitive spirit. He’s a competitor out there, even as a young player, so he’ll continue to get better.”
With the Heat set to begin the postseason with a win-or-go-home matchup against the Hornets in Charlotte on Tuesday night as part of the NBA’s play-in tournament, Jakucionis closed the regular season with appearances in 52 of the Heat’s final 56 regular-season games. He logged double-digit minutes in 45 of those 52 appearances.
Jakucionis (6-foot-5 and 200 pounds) ended his first NBA regular season averaging 6.2 points, 2.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 42.9% from the field and 42.3% from three-point range. The Heat outscored teams by three points per 100 possessions when he was on the court this regular season.
“It’s been good,” said Jakucionis, who was selected by the Heat with the 20th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. “I think I’m learning a lot and I still have a lot of room to grow and to learn. But I think I’m improving every day, and I’m trying to focus on everyday basics, try to get better, try to learn as much as I can. And I think it looks like every day I’m learning something new. So I think that’s a good thing. And I would like just to keep stacking days, keep getting better and improve more.”
Jakucionis’ NBA playing time came after he began his rookie season out of the Heat’s rotation, as he logged only 53.7 seconds in the NBA through the Heat’s first 26 games of the season. Instead, Jakucionis spent the first part of his rookie season in the G League with the Heat’s developmental affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
But Jakucionis went on to crack the Heat’s rotation in December by impressing coaches with his energy, playmaking skills and ability to hold up on defense. He also turned into one of the Heat’s top outside shooters.
While at lower volume than some of the Heat’s other top shooters, Jakucionis closed his first NBA regular season with a team-best three-point shooting percentage of 42.3% (66 of 156). Among the 242 NBA players who attempted more than 150 threes this regular season, Jakucionis closed with the 10th-best three-point percentage.
“I would say, stay consistent, stay the same way,” Jakucionis said of what earned him consistent NBA playing time as a rookie. “Every time I show up, do your work. Never too high, never too low. Just come in and get some work, try to learn as much as possible, try to get better, try to gain trust from the coaches and from teammates. Just keep improving. That’s what I’m here for. And I think it’s like step by step, little by little.”
One advantage that Jakucionis has over other NBA rookies is this season didn’t mark his first professional experience. He moved from Lithuania at 15 years old to play basketball in Spain for three years in Barcelona before heading to the United States to play college basketball at Illinois for one season, and then being selected by the Heat in last year’s NBA Draft.
“Kas has a different level of maturity and ambition,” Spoelstra said. “You can tell just from the very first time we met him that he has high ambition to make a name for himself in this league. He probably had that maturity that was unique for a 14-year-old, 15-year-old. A lot of 14, 15-year-olds aren’t thinking about that, leaving home and committing to all the work, being out of your comfort zone, being in a foreign country, learning a new language, having two practices a day. That would be a lot for a lot of adolescents. But for him, he just wanted more. He’s continued to push that envelope. He had that at Illinois, and he definitely has that with us.”
While Jakucionis was a high-usage guard at the college level, he has been asked to play in more of an off-ball role in his first NBA season. That has forced him to develop other areas of his game, becoming a better spot-up three-point shooter and cutter.
“I’m pretty adaptable. So I can do both,” Jakucionis said of playing on and off the ball. “I think it helped me to improve in that role too. All the cutting, running, spot-up shooting, everything. That helps. So, I’m just expanding my game.”
Jakucionis likely won’t make an NBA All-Rookie team, but his first NBA season still left the Heat impressed. After all, he doesn’t turn 20 until May 29.
“I love Kas, man,” Heat veteran guard Norman Powell said. “He’s such a hard worker. I mean, he’s doing two, three workouts before shootarounds and before practice. I think the sky is the limit for him, just his approach, his mentality. He’s very mature for his age. He’s very focused and very locked in. I think it shows.”
