After some strong performances for Serbia at the 2025 EuroBasket, Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic was expected to take significant strides in development this year. However, after a slow start to the season, the 22-year-old hasn’t looked as impressive. On this note, Jovic’s Serbian national team teammate Nikola Jokic shared a word of advice while speaking with the media.
“He’s on another team. I don’t know what the coaching staff is telling him, and I don’t want to be the guy who is going to be in the war room,” Jokic responded when asked about Jovic’s progression. “I think he needs to listen to his coaching staff.”
“I remember when I started playing, I was just doing what they told me to do, and that’s going to give you minutes, and that’s going to give you opportunities to play. When you build trust, you can do something on your own, and you can see if it’s working or not.”
While Jokic was reluctant to share what Nikola Jovic needed to do to become better, he inadvertently shared some advice for the Miami Heat coaching staff on how to utilize the forward.
“He has potential. I think he’s a good defender. He can defend multiple positions just because of his size,” he stated. “Offensively, you can use him in different– ball-handling, shooting- he’s actually a really good post-up player. That’s my opinion because we used him on the national team as a post-up player, and it was working well for us because of his size.”
Jokic holds Nikola Jovic in very high regard. His statement about the Nuggets coming up short in acquiring Jovic was a clear reflection of that.
While Jovic has a lot of potential, as seen at EuroBasket, it hasn’t necessarily blossomed in the NBA. While it is still early in the season, the Heat may have some reason to be concerned.
Has Nikola Jovic Plateaued?
Last season, Nikola Jovic was averaging 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game on 45.6% shooting from the field and 37.1% from three-point range. While these are solid figures for a role player in his third season, Jovic showed noticeable growth during EuroBasket.
In six games at the tournament, Jovic averaged 12.8 points and 4.0 rebounds on 60.0% shooting from the field and 52.4% shooting from three-point range. With improved efficiency, the 22-year-old displayed the potential to be a key rotation player this season.
Unfortunately, his playing time has dipped slightly to an average of 21.4 minutes per game this season. Additionally, there have also been some restrictions on his shot attempts.
From averaging 8.2 shots per game last season, the forward is now attempting 6.6 shots per game. This has resulted in reduced production, as he is averaging 8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 37.7% shooting overall.
While the figures aren’t impressive, it may be too early in the season to proclaim that Nikola Jovic has plateaued.
Given the investment the franchise has shown in him, with Erik Spoelstra attending one of Serbia’s games ahead of EuroBasket, the Heat appear committed to nurturing his talent. However, given how valuable playing time is, Miami will hope he makes the most of his opportunities.
