Inside The Heat

Miami Heat's Kasparas Jakucionis Holds Nothing Back On Rookie Expectations

Ethan J. Skolnick|
May 14, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; Kasparas Jakucionis talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
May 14, 2025; Chicago, Il, USA; Kasparas Jakucionis talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

Kasparas Jakucionis certainly said exactly what Udonis Haslem wanted to hear.

The 19-year-old Miami Heat first round pick, while recording an episode of "The OGs Show" with Haslem (and fellow former Heat champion Mike Miller) back in July in Las Vegas, was asked what he wanted for his first NBA season.

His answer: "Championship."

Haslem won three of those (2006, 2012, 2013), but the current Heat are not currently in those contending conversations for the 2025-26 season. And it's unclear at this stage how much Jakucionis will be contributing to whatever it is the Heat do actually accomplish this season.

The rookie struggled throughout much of summer league offensively, especially with his shot and with getting by defenders -- though he did have one breakout game (which just happened to come the day before he did the OGs interview). The Heat still have high hopes for him, after taking him 20th in June, but they also have a crowded backcourt, bolstered by the offseason addition of Norman Powell and the re-signings of defensive standouts Davion Mitchell and Dru Smith.

Signs coming out of Heat quarters point to Jakucionis spending some time in Sioux Falls, getting to run a G-League team, prior to getting any significant action on the NBA level.

While Erik Spoelstra is not opposed to playing rookies -- Kel'el Ware worked his way into the starting lineup last season, a year after Jaime Jaquez Jr. made the All-Rookie team -- it's a little different with a point guard this raw. If he's leading a team to the championship, it's more likely the Skyforce.

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Ethan J. Skolnick
ETHAN J. SKOLNICK

Ethan has covered all major sports -- in South Florida and beyond -- since 1996 and is one of the longest-tenured fully credentialed members of the Miami Heat. He has covered, in total, more than 30 NBA Finals, Super Bowls, World Series and Stanley Cup Finals. After working full-time for the Miami Herald, South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Palm Beach Post, Bleacher Report and several other outlets, he founded the Five Reasons Sports Network in 2019 and began hosting the Five on the Floor podcast as part of that network. The podcast is regularly among the most downloaded one-team focused NBA podcasts in the nation, and the network is the largest independent sports outlet in South Florida, by views, listens and social media reach. He has a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and an M.S. from Columbia University. TWITTER: @EthanJSkolnick and @5ReasonsSports EMAIL: fllscribe@gmail.com

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