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Most of that playing time for Jakucionis has come in the last three months, as he has appeared in 40 of the last 42 games after logging only 53.7 seconds in the NBA through the Heat’s first 26 games of the season. He has also played double-digit minutes in 34 of those 40 appearances over the last three months, with most of those opportunities coming in a bench role. “Kas just continues to get better,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “If you watch where he was in summer league compared to now, it’s really a credit to his work ethic. He spent a lot of time with [Heat assistant coach Chris Quinn] in all the pre-practice and post-practice sessions. He’s improved quite a bit. He’s earned this.”
Jakucionis entered Tuesday’s game in Charlotte shooting a team-best 53 of 123 (43.1 percent) from three-point range this season. Among the 271 NBA players who have attempted more than 100 threes this season, Jakucionis owns the 10th-best three-point percentage. “He’s one of those guys that’s always working on it. So he’s seen really good improvement,” Spoelstra said. “He’s refined some things just to simplify his shot, but he had really good touch before even getting here. But it’s the work ethic. It’s the consistency every single day. He’s relentless with it and taking the appropriate ones. “He’s getting a lot of open catch-and-shoot threes right now. I’m sure at some point the scouting report will change, as teams start to see him more often. But that shooting has been a good boost to our offense.”
But the Heat wasn’t concerned, as coaches and scouts pointed out that Jakucionis shot an impressive 41.4 percent on threes through Jan. 1, 2025 at Illinois before his three-point efficiency plummeted while battling a left forearm injury over the second half of his only college season. “I’m always confident from three-point range,” said Jakucionis, who doesn’t turn 20 until May 29. “One day it doesn’t go in, another it goes. So it just depends. But, yeah, in college, I didn’t shoot the best. But also there weren’t that many games to be honest. It was only one year. And the forearm injury maybe affected me at that moment. But going through it, I think it helped me overall. And then just try to be more consistent.”
How does Erik Spoelstra compare to your previous coaches? Kasparas Jakucionis: Yeah, he’s so nice, an amazing coach, to be honest. He has a lot of knowledge of the game and is a very good leader. He reminds me of some of my coaches in Barcelona, like Sarunas Jasikevicius, and even last year with Brad Underwood at Illinois. I think they all have this kind of drive to win and always try to reach their maximum potential. They try to get everyone on the same page and include everybody to win. They don't just say it, they lead by example. I'm really grateful to have this opportunity to be on this team and learn from the best.
What clicked for you during your recent successful stretch of games? Kasparas Jakucionis: I think it just comes with time and experience. Obviously, I don't have a lot of experience yet, so there are still up-and-down moments, good moments and bad moments. But I'm just trying to stay consistent and stay the same way. With time, everything comes.
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After a slow start in the first quarter, the Miami Heat blew past the tanking Washington Wizards with a 132-101 in a Sunday afternoon affair inside Capital One Arena. The Wizards jumped out to a quick start, owning a 29-21 lead with 3:40. The Heat quickly flipped the script, ending the opening quarter on a 16-4 run while outscoring their East counterpart 95-68 the final three quarters.
Kasparas Jakucionis scored a career-high 22 points on 6-of-6 shooting from 3-point range. He had three rebounds, six dimes plus a pair of steals in 26 minutes.
“The thing is that he has is a great ambition,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said of Jakucionis. “He had that ambition when he was 13 and 14, knowing that he wanted to be a professional basketball player. That’s unique. Obviously, the great players out of the States have that dream as well. “But then to move away from your family at 15. And even at that age, he learned Spanish. He’s fluent in Spanish. That’s impressive because he was just there to play basketball. But he takes everything seriously, and he has a work ethic to match that ambition. He doesn’t want to just be in the league. He wants to really make an impact.”
Jakucionis has averaged 4.2 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 31.7% from the field and 42.5% from three-point range during this 18-game stretch that has included 17 appearances. He had played only 53.7 seconds in the NBA through the Heat’s first 26 games of the season prior to this 18-game span. “I have to stay ready always,” said Jakucionis, who doesn’t turn 20 until May 29. “And whenever I get the chance, I just try to embrace it. And outside of that, I just try to be ready, work out and watch film and just be mentally ready.”
Jakucionis totaled 17 points, six rebounds and four assists in a Dec. 19 loss to the Boston Celtics and also recorded 12 points, five rebounds and eight assists in a Jan. 15 home loss to the Celtics. During Saturday’s home win against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder, Jakucionis dished out seven assists to zero turnovers. “He’s trying to do the right thing every play,” Heat center and captain Bam Adebayo said of Jakucionis. “He’s trying to play fast. He’s trying to overcommunicate. When you see a young guy like that, he has a bright future for him because he’s committed to what we’re telling him, what we’re asking of him.”
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Jakucionis’ work ethic has especially impressed the Heat. “He’s relentless with his approach, and I find that just super unique for a teenager,” Spoelstra said. “How ambitious he is and how relentless he is with his work ethic. Watching film, coming back and getting extra workouts. He’s one of those guys that you have to tell him, ‘No, you’ve already worked out three times today.’ And he’ll ignore us. Even in these games where he’s starting to play more minutes, he’ll still go up there after the game and do a 45-minute workout.”
Ira Winderman: Heat say Kasparas Jakucionis (left ankle soreness) is now cleared to play. Only Pelle Larsson (ankle) out. (And, of course, Terry Rozier.)
Anthony Chiang: Kasparas Jakucionis is back with the Heat from the G League. Myron Gardner is also back with the Heat from the G League.
Anthony Chiang: Tyler Herro (right big toe irritation) and Norman Powell (left ankle sprain) listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game vs. Magic in Orlando. Myron Gardner, Vlad Goldin and Kasparas Jakucionis have returned to the G Legaue.
