UCLA Basketball: Pat Riley Assesses Rookie Season of Ex-Bruin Jaime Jaquez

How the Heat's team president feels about the swingman's NBA debut.

Apr 29, 2024; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Heat guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) dribbles the ball. / Michael Laughlin-USA TODAY Sports

All-American UCLA Bruins-turned-Miami Heat small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. received high praise from longtime Heat team president Pat Riley following the completion of his 2023-24 rookie season, per Brady Hawk of 5 Reasons Sports.

“They’re two greats pieces for us,” Riley said of Jaquez and second-year power forward Nikola Jovic.

"And Jaime, if he had not gotten hurt with the groin earlier in the season... 'cause he plays, he would’ve played 82 games," Riley added.

"He ended up playing 75 games, and believe me he was hurting when he missed those games," Riley said. "He’s a proud young warrior that will play every night for you. He hit a wall, somewhat, with the first groin injury, and then we went through other injuries, then his role changed a little bit, then he sat down a while, and he came in and out. That doesn't help a player. Continuity and consistency is every night, I know what I'm going to get. So if we're paying one through eight, nine to be those players, and then you get a rookie... that all of a sudden shows out, you're pretty fortunate.”

The 6-foot-6 swingman averaged 11.6 points on .489/.322/.811 shooting splits, 3.8 rebounds, 2.6 assists and one steal per game in his 75 healthy contests (20 starts). He also finished in the top 10 vote-getters for Sixth Man of the Year honors, and within top five of vote recipients for Rookie of the Year. Not too shabby for the No. 18 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

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