Inside The Heat

NBA Executives And Scouts View Kasparas Jakučionis As Draft Steal

Alex Toledo|
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kasparas Jakucionis stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 20th pick by the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Kasparas Jakucionis stands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the 20th pick by the Miami Heat in the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

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Miami Heat

Despite an up-and-down Summer League showing overall, the buzz around Miami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakučionis remains true. ESPN's Jeremy Woo recently surveyed various NBA scouts and executives, with two of them voting the Heat's first round pick as the rookie to come out as the biggest draft steal.

Jakucionis surprisingly fell to the 20th pick in the draft in late June after being evaluated as a sure-fire lottery talent over the past year. His place on mock drafts gradually declined after midseason wrist and forearm injuries brought down his efficiency.

He averaged 15 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 33 games for the 22-13 Illinois Fighting Illini in the 2024-2025 season.

At Vegas Summer League, the 19 year-old averaged 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.7 steals, converting on 45 percent of his field goals, 35 percent of his threes and 100 percent of his free throws.

He struggled mightily on offense during the earlier California Classic portion of Summer League, where he only made one field goal despite flashing playmaking and defensive positives while playing more of a combo guard role.

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It seems the Miami Heat may feel they have hit on another draft pick. Spotrac's Keith Smith spoke to coaches, scouts and executives while at this year's Summer League, where one anonymous member of the Heat organization lauded the efforts of the Heat's first round pick, Kasparas Jakučionis.

“I’m not going to tell you where Jakucionis was on our board, but it was a heck of a lot higher than where we picked him!," a Heat front office executive said. "He wasn’t very good in California. And he was mad about that. [In Las Vegas] he was much better. He’s not going to settle for anything other than being great.”

During the California Classic portion of Summer League, the Heat rookie averaged just four points and two assists, converting on just one total field goal and missing all 11 of his three point attempts.

Conversely, once the team got to Vegas Summer League, Kasparas Jakucionis averaged15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.7 steals. Additionally, he converted on 35 percent of his threes, 45 percent of his field goals and 100 percent of his free throws while receiving praise for his attentive defense.

The majority of mock drafts had Jakučionis as a lottery pick. Before his forearm and wrist injuries midseason for the Illinois Fighting Illini, the eventual 20th pick Jakučionis was considered the second-best point guard prospect in the draft behind the No. 2 pick Dylan Harper.

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Alex Toledo
ALEX TOLEDO

Alex, who was born in Miami, is also a producer, co-host and reporter for the Five on the Floor podcast. He has covered the Heat and NBA since 2019 as a season credential holder. He studied journalism at Florida International University.