The Heat have a breakout star, and he's been better than you think

The Miami Heat were given little thought this offseason by most national media members. Most considered them a play-in team, maybe a 6 seed at best, and some even had them missing the play-in entirely. Through 4 games it seems the Heat will be much better than many expected. They have done this through a variety of ways but arguably the most important is one of their young players seems to have a breakout season loading.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been sensational. There is no other way to describe his game, he has wildly exceeded any reasonable expectation this year. Jaquez Jr. is getting a lot of attention from local and national media due to his play, but even the attention he is getting is underselling his play.

Offense

Jaquez Jr. has been as close to perfect as one can expect. He is getting paint touches at will and using his fantastic footwork to manipulate his defender. He has been under control on every drive and has a plan to counter whatever the defense throws at him. In years past he had 2 moves, a spin or going straight through the defense chest. This year he is still doing those things but is being much more patient and deliberate in his moves. He has added to his arsenal and now the defense does not know what is coming. This has helped him be one of the league leaders in FG% to start the year. The new offensive scheme Erik Spoelstra has implemented has greatly benefited Jaquez Jr., maybe more than anyone else. The increase in pace allows him to get some easy looks off of his hustle, and this helps him settle into games. Easy buckets always give confidence to players, and Jaquez Jr. is always willing to run the floor to get those buckets.

Defense

Jaime Jaquez Jr. has always been an extremely smart basketball player, his basketball IQ is off the charts. And as previously mentioned, he is always willing to hustle. Combine these two things and add in some athleticism (which he has), and you typically get a guy that can defend well. The defensive end has always been underrated for Jaquez Jr., and I think it’s just because it is not flashy. He just makes the good play over and over but does not have too many “wow” plays. According to NBA.com Jaquez Jr. ranks 2nd in the NBA in Defensive rating, filtered to 2 GP and 10+ minutes a game. He has been sensational on the defensive end, and no one is talking about it.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. Career Defensive Field Goal Percentage (DFG%) Vs. All-Stars/All-Star Caliber Players :

1. LaMelo Ball — 10.0%
2. Stephen Curry — 28.6%
3. Anthony Edwards — 33.3%
3. Kristaps Porzingis — 33.3%
3. Lauri Markkanen — 33.3%
6. Paolo Banchero — 36.4%… https://t.co/hubjiBVnQt pic.twitter.com/7tm2JlA4lc
— Stat Defender (@statdefender) February 27, 2025

Obviously If one is playing great on offense and great on defense then they will have a huge impact in the outcome of games. Jaquez Jr. has been the best in the NBA at this according to NBA.com’s net rating. Using the same filters, 2 games played and 10 minutes, Jaquez Jr. ranks as the best player in the NBA. So yes, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is being talked about a lot, but do not sell him short, respect his game to the fullest, because that’s the best player in the NBA you are talking about.

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