Miami Heat Snag Lithuanian Point Guard Kasparas Jakucionis in Draft Steal
The Miami Heat couldn’t believe their luck Wednesday evening when Lithuanian point guard Kasparas Jakucionis fell right into their lap with the 20th pick in the 2025 NBA draft.
Expected to be gone by the 14th pick, Jakucionis somehow slid to the late first round.
The Heat front office was ecstatic.
“I think this guy might be a star. I think he’s really good,” Fox Sports’ Chris Broussard said after the selection, naming Jakucionis the biggest sleeper of the first round.
Miami desperately needed a true point guard heading into draft night. Last season, shooting guard Tyler Herro led the team with 5.5 assists per game while also scoring 23.9 points.
That’s not ideal.
Enter Jakucionis, the 19-year-old playmaker from Illinois who brings exactly what the Heat have been missing.
The 6-foot-5 guard with a nearly 6-foot-8 wingspan started all 33 games for the Fighting Illini under head coach Brad Underwood during his lone college season.
His freshman numbers were impressive: 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.
While his three-point shooting was a bit shaky at 31.8%, he showed a knack for hitting clutch shots when Illinois needed them most. His size allows him to finish effectively at the rim, and he’s already displaying the court vision that made NBA scouts take notice.
Miami has built a reputation for developing raw talent into polished NBA contributors. The organization believes Jakucionis could form a potent trio alongside established stars Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo.
What makes Jakucionis particularly intriguing is his basketball IQ. Despite being just 19, he processes the game like a veteran.
The Heat might even break from their usual approach with rookies and consider Jakucionis for a starting role immediately. They typically bring first-round picks along slowly, but his skillset addresses such a glaring need that he could see significant minutes right away.
Can a teenage point guard really make an immediate impact in Miami’s system? The Heat certainly think so.
