Miami Heat fourth-year wing Nikola Jovic is suiting up for Serbia in EuroBasket next month. (Mandatory Credit: Photo Courtesy of FIBA)
Last July, there was serious question whether Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic would be healthy enough to play for Serbia in the 2024 Paris Olympics after suffering an ankle injury in an offseason workout.
He ultimately suited up, but his impact was minimal. Jovic averaged only 4.2 points and 1.8 rebounds in 10.9 minutes per game, knocking down seven of his 16 shot attempts and four of his six 3-pointers. He played only five combined minutes in the knockout stage.
His injury was ultimately the first of another injury-plagued season for Jovic, limited to just 46 games with the Heat. He had the best season of his career, but the 6-foot-10 wing hasn’t played more than 46 games in any of his first three seasons.
Nikola Jovic will be one of the three Heat players in EuroBasket:
Heading into the summer, Jovic will be playing in EuroBasket with Serbia and is determined to be available for his home country.
“I’ve been training individually for a long time now,” Jovic said, according to Eurohoops.net. The season ended pretty early for Miami. We did make the playoffs, which was really important to us, but I’ve been here since May 1st. It’s been three months. I’ve literally been training since May 5th … I’m already ready!
“(Last year,) I can’t say I was a burden to the team, but I couldn’t help enough. I managed to play a bit, but then I got sick over there and couldn’t play at all. Sometimes I even forget that I made it into the lineup coming off a broken foot. When we gathered, I arrived wearing a boot. I took it off and practically played right away. The people in Miami were the first ones who didn’t like that, but I just couldn’t skip that tournament. Now I’m healthy, and that’s the most important thing to me. Everything else will fall into place. Because, if nothing else, at least I know I can physically handle the challenges.”
Jovic also spoke about how grateful he is that the Heat are allowing him to play in EuroBasket, and how that’s not always easy for NBA teams to allow their better players to suit up because of the risk of injury.
“I’m sure it’s not easy for them, just like for other NBA teams,” he said. “You’re letting someone play for their country, paying them a lot of money, and they’re important to you. An injury would definitely be a setback for them. But, by chance — and to my great fortune — I’m part of the Miami team that had Goran Dragić.
“They say themselves that he always came back better from international tournaments [with Slovenia]. It’s an honor and a pleasure for them to let me play for Serbia. Of course, it all starts with me — I’m always the one who would give anything to play. And the fact that they support me and want me to be with Serbia only gives me more motivation. And it makes it easier for me.”
Dragic was a monster with Slovenia, winning the MVP of the 2017 EuroBasket and helping lead his home country to their first-ever EuroBasket championship. He scored 22.6 points per game while averaging 4.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists on 48.2/38.5/84.4 shooting splits in nine games.
Slovenia retired the former Miami Heat guard’s No. 3 last August.
Last year’s World Cup wasn’t Jovic’s first international competition since getting drafted. He also played in the FIBA World Cup in 2023, averaging 10.1 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists in eight games.
He will be one of three Heat players expected to suit up, joining Italy’s Simone Fontecchio and Sweden’s Pelle Larsson, who was the best player for the Heat across Summer League. While the rosters aren’t official, the fourth-year wing is expected to be with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, as well as Vasilije Micic and Bogdan Bogdanovic for Team Serbia.
Hopefully, Jovic will be able to blossom in a bigger role as a secondary shot creator, spot-up shooter and one of the team’s top defensive wings. I’m very excited to see how he’s grown as a player since late April and how he helps his team succeed on an international stage!
EuroBasket is expected to begin on Aug. 27.
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