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Nikola Jovic #5 of the Miami Heat poses during the 2022 NBA Rookie Portraits
The Miami Heat have been in multiple reports looking to add a star player to join Jimmy Butler. Miami has been reported with interest in acquiring Kevin Durant of the Brooklyn Nets and Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz. There were others, but all of their endeavors seemed a bit exaggerated. Now, we’re heading into the 2022-23 NBA season with a training camp and pre-season and the only real addition the team made was with their test pick Nikola Jovic.
The Heat has officially selected Serbian superstar Jovic with his 27th overall pick for the 2022 NBA Draft and the move was applauded by many. Jovic can play for a long time and can do everything for the Heat, but most importantly the new striker can shoot and bring that to the Heat.
Jovic is already making a strong impression at Heat bootcamp and has impressed the right people with Heat Culture head Odonis Haslam as he sings during his Tag Camp time.
Udonis Haslem over Nikola Jovic in training camp
Haslem, who has been in the NBA for a full year longer than Jovic alive, shared his thoughts with him Payton Titus of the Miami Herald On Hit’s latest addition and his “enormous skill set”. He also praised the rookie striker as a “hardworking worker”, a huge praise from Haslem.
“[Jović] He can score anywhere on the basketball court, he can shoot with either hand, and a hard worker,” he says. Haslem said. “Just experience, you know, experience will be the biggest thing he will need to work with us this time. Exercising every day, competing, physical from that, getting into the weight room. And all of those things are part of player development that we are doing very well here.”
Jovic’s praise is all you want to hear from your veteran captain of the latest rookie teams. Jovic was clearly a developmental player and it is not clear when he will watch this season, but he looks like a player the Heat can count on in the coming years.
Nikola Jovic on adapting to the NBA
In a conversation with Payton Titus of the Miami Herald, Jovic said NBA players are on “another level” when it comes to strength, which is something he has made it a priority to add in his new NBA life.
“Because I’m big, I’m going to play with the top guys,” he said. “Strengthening muscle is an integral part of becoming the player he and the Heat feel they need in order to help the team better.”
Eric Spoelstra on Nikola Jovic’s move to the NBA
Titus also quoted Miami Heat coach Eric Spoelstra sharing what the team has been working on with Jovic to help him adjust to life in the NBA. From everything to schedule, routine and basics.
“It lays the foundation,” Spoilstra said. “He has a lot of work to do. We all love his soul. He comes with a positive attitude every day to work and absorb a little better. He has spent a lot of time on his body. He also spends a lot of time on his basics, then is fed through a fire hose from the team charts.” …but he was responding well. I’m not trying to rate him now. I’m just trying to make him feel comfortable with routines and expectations about how we do things.”
Jovic is definitely in good hands with the Heat, who have proven time and time again that he can develop his players into key parts of the team in short periods of time.
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