Heading into his second NBA season, there were still plenty of questions surrounding Miami Heat wing Nikola Jovic.
As a rookie, his opportunities were few and far between, in part due to a back injury that limited him to just 15 NBA games and 12 combined G-League games with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Entering his second year, the now-21-year-old was coming off a second-place finish with Serbia in the 2023 FIBA World Cup, averaging 10.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists across eight FIBA contests. He shot 56.6 percent from the floor, including 42.3 percent from 3-point range and 76.9 percent from the free-throw line. That included a 25-point effort against South Sudan in the final leg of Group Stage, where Jovic went a perfect 9-for-9 and 5-of-5 from 3-point range.
Jovic was oftentimes one of their secondary creators, but showed semblance of consistency from 3-point range as well as defending in space. Though questions still remained how that would translate to the NBA level.
In an exclusive interview with Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, Jovic opened up about his growth as a player since joining the Miami Heat:
“I think I grew a lot, especially from last year being in the Finals and learning about how to get there and how hard it is,” he said. “A lot of veteran players are great guys and great people who taught me how to be first a great person and, after that, a great basketball player. I think I learned a lot, like I said, especially last year.
“This year, I got a little bigger role, and I had the chance to start in the playoffs, which was a big deal, of course, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I’m grateful that the coaches saw that I can play, and I hope I’ll give back to the team and to the city of Miami soon.”
If one lesson could be learned from Jovic: Not all growth is linear!
The former No. 27 overall pick appeared in 46 regular games with the Heat this season, joining the starting lineup full-time in mid-February without relinquishing it. He tallied 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds with a pair of assists, shooting 45.2 percent from the floor, 39.9 percent from 3-point range and 70.2 percent from the free-throw line.
His effective field goal percentage leaped 10.4 percentage points as a rookie while his true-shooting percentage elevated by 5.3 percentage points. Jovic even improved from 22.9 percent to 39.0 percent on pure spot-up attempts from beyond the arc, which made up 48.9 percent of his shot diet in 2023-24, according to NBA.com’s shot tracking data.
Perhaps the biggest area of improvement came defensively. The 6-foot-10 wing consistently showed he was capable of switching onto multiple positions and holding his own ground, as well as making precise rotations and staying disciplined.
How do you think Jovic has grown as a player? Let us know in the comments!
