Miami Heat Rookie Nikola Jovic Gets NBA Taste Against Zion Williamson

At 18, Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic is just starting to learn about NBA life.

On Wednesday, he got his first lesson. Jovic was matched defensively against New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson. And it wasn't pretty.

"You're not going to stop that locomotive, I guess, with one guy no matter who that guy is," Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "It really is depending on your team defense."

Midway through the second quarter, Jovic tried to defend Williamson. The result was Williamson bullying him on a drive to the basket for a three-point play.

Nikola Jovic tried his best to stop 130 kg Zion Williamson 😅

🎥 @NBATV pic.twitter.com/XRBEjvniRt
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) October 13, 2022

Spoelstra said they are still confident Jovic can become a solid defender.

"It was a small sample size when he was matched up against him," Spoelstra said. "But, still, whatever matchup that he takes on, the challenge night to night is still going to be about position, speed, quick quickness, how disruptive he can be. He can be all of those things."

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Shandel Richardson is the Miami Heat writer for Inside The Heat. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA.