By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After winning the silver medal at the 2023 World Cup, Nikola Jovic had a rough patch with the Miami Heat, going back and forth with the G League affiliate team.
However, as the season progressed, he got more and more minutes until eventually, the Serbian forward became a regular in the Heat’s rotation.
Overall, he had a solid individual season, showcasing his skills in his second NBA year and averaging 7.7 points with 4.2 rebounds and two assists.
“There was everything, and in the end, it turned out well even though we lost in the first round. I feel like it was a successful season for me,” said Jovic, who visited the ABA League playoff match between his former club Mega and Crvena Zvezda.
After the Miami Heat dropped out of the NBA Playoffs first round in five games to the Boston Celtics, the team president Pat Riley spoke highly of the Serbian player.
“It all happened like that for Niko… The learning curve was off the charts… He’s a great athlete. He has great instincts. He’s unselfish. He’s a good rebounder, a coast-to-coast guy,” Riley said.
Nikola obviously heard his praises.
“What can you expect from a man who has done so much for the NBA league? He is certainly one of the people who knows best what needs to be done and how to lead the team, so I don’t ask much.”
Jovic formed a special bond with one of his teammates, the leader of this Heat group, Jimmy Butler.
“He’s like an older brother to me; we get each other. He said he just wants to win; I said I just want to win, and that’s it…”
Even though his compatriot is not on a good track in the Western Conference semifinals, Jovic believes that defending NBA champion Nikola Jokic can turn things around.
“He is the best basketball player in the world. Even though they are down 2:0, it’s not over. I’m sure they will come back, even though Minnesota is playing great basketball,” Nikola Jovic concluded speaking to Serbian media.