After Career High Night vs The Bucks, 6’10 Heat Star Gets Brutally Honest About His “Wild” NBA Career

The 2023-24 season has been quite tumultuous for Miami Heat star Nikola Jovic. As the team prepares to play their first game after the All-Star break on Friday, the 20-year-old player is facing challenges. However, there is optimism for his career, and the Heat are taking a patient and gradual approach in developing him.

Jovic has experienced inconsistent playing time during the current season, making 14 starts so far. However, preceding the recent opportunities, he was sidelined for six out of the last seven games. In discussing his playing time, Jovic openly shared his situation with Miami this season with Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.

“The wild thing is, either I start or I don’t play. It’s wild,” said the 6’10 Miami star. In a straightforward sense, it holds true that when the Heat are fully healthy, Jovic’s role is limited compared to when a couple of players are out, and he is placed in the starting lineup. Regardless, due to his raw talent and young age, this entire experience serves as a valuable learning opportunity for the budding player.

Discussing his potential trajectory, “slow and steady wins the race,” he emphasized that it will take time for him to fully develop. However, recently, he has delivered some commendable performances, including Miami’s impressive 24-point victory over the Milwaukee Bucks, where he achieved a career-high 24 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Nikola Jovic is ready to take his skills to the next level

Jovic went on to start the next game against the Philadelphia 76ers, contributing to the Heat’s victory. Despite the initial quote potentially conveying frustration, the Serbian clarified that he embraces the process with enthusiasm. “I love it, I get to learn, and I need to be ready when I get a chance. I’m working hard like I always do. I feel like everybody sees the improvement. I mean, I want to play. Playing is the most important thing. But I feel like as long as they believe in me and I believe in them, it’s going to work out,” Jovic reiterated.

Read More: Starter Nikola Jovic Expresses His Latest Frustration on the Court After Early Season Playing Time Issues: “Feel Like I’m Not There”

 “I feel like I’m working a lot, especially the last month, last two or three months,” Jovic continued. He further added, “Before every shootaround, before every practice, I’m there working out. There’s no off days for me. When they have an off day, it’s an on day for me.”

What’s crucial is that Jovic himself has noticed the improvement in his game since being drafted by the Heat with the 27th overall pick in 2022. He attributes the starting opportunities he received during the season as the specific factor that has significantly contributed to his progress.

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