(Mandatory Credit: Issac Baldizon/NBAE via Getty Images)
Miami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis had a roller coaster summer, but was outstanding in his preseason opener this week against the San Antonio Spurs.
It’s far too early to make any conclusions — good or bad — but general managers around the NBA predict that the 19-year-old was the steal of the 2025 NBA Draft.
In the league’s 24th annual general manager survey released Thursday, a league-high five executives voted for Jakucionis, drafted No. 20 overall, as the “biggest steal where he was selected in the draft.”
Others who received votes were Utah’s Ace Bailey (No. 5 overall), Carter Bryant (No. 14) and Joan Beringer (No. 17), among others.
I share a similar sentiment to those executives, as I had Jakucionis as the No. 7 player on my board entering June’s draft. Other “steals” relative to value, in my opinion, were Rasheer Fleming (No. 31 overall), Jase Richardson (No. 25), NIque Clifford (No. 24), Ben Saraf (No. 26), Asa Newell (No. 23) and Thomas Sorber (No. 15), who will unfortunately miss his rookie season with a torn ACL.
In his lone season at Illinois, Jakucionis averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game on 44.0 percent shooting, 31.8 percent from 3-point range and 84.5 percent from the free-throw line. He was one of the best pure playmakers in the class with great positional size and a better shot than the percentages indicated.
We won’t know which general managers voted for Jakucionis, but it would be comical if any of them were from the 17 organizations that passed on him — even if they liked another player more.
It’s hard to not be excited for the Heat rookie, even if he spends most of season in Sioux Falls. His playmaking potential is tantalizing. Jakucionis has done nothing but show potential defensively, despite possessing limited foot speed (which he can improve).
And if he fits that mold, the Heat have struck gold.
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