AP Photo/Darko Vojinovic
Nikola Jovic, a Serbian wing who previously played for Mega Basket of the ABA League, will join the Miami Heat after going No. 27 overall in Thursday’s NBA draft.
Bleacher Report Draft Expert Jonathan Wasserman’s Scouting Report
Player: Nikola Jovic
Position: SF
Height: 6’10”
Pro Comparison: Danilo Gallinari
Scouting Report: At 6’10”, Jovic operates as a jumbo scoring wing with three-point range and playmaking ability. He has mismatch potential if the self-creation translates and helps outweigh his lack of standout athleticsim.
Heat Active Roster and Average Salary (Expiration Year)
Nikola Jovic, SF: Rookie scale contract
Jimmy Butler, SF: $48.8M (2026)
Bam Adebayo, PF: $32.6M (2026)
Kyle Lowry, PG: $28.3M (2024)
Duncan Robinson, SF: $18M (2025)
Tyler Herro, SG: $4.3M (2023)
Gabe Vincent, PG: $1.7M (2023)
Max Strus, SG: $1.7M (2023)
Omer Yurtseven, C: $1.6M (2023)
Haywood Highsmith, F: $1.3M (2024)
Udonis Haslem, PF: UFA
Markieff Morris, PF: UFA
Dewayne Dedmon, C: UFA
Victor Oladipo, SG: UFA
Caleb Martin, SF: RFA
Kyle Guy, SG: RFA
Dru Smith, SG: RFA
P.J. Tucker, PF: UFA
Jovic averaged 11.7 points on 42.8 percent shooting (35.6 percent from three-point range), 4.4 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game during the 2021-22 season.
He’s also one of the youngest players in this draft class and turned 19 years old on June 9.
Jovic notably erupted for 29.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 1.8 blocks at the 2020-21 Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Tournament in Belgrade, Serbia. That breakout performance made him a major prospect in Europe, per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Jovic was a water polo player growing up but switched to basketball as a teenager. That turned out to be a good decision, as he’s emerging as a potential breakout star in this year’s draft class.
Via Givony: “Jovic’s combination of size, ballhandling, passing, dynamic shot-making, confidence and youth is intriguing to NBA scouts, drawing comparisons to oversized international guards like Danilo Gallinari and Deni Avdija. Jovic is attempting to become the first Serbian player drafted in the lottery since Darko Milicic in 2003.”
Now he’ll look to make his mark in the NBA.
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