The Miami Heat's selection of European guard Kasparas Jakucionis with the 20th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft is seen as a potential steal. Despite being projected as a lottery pick, Jakucionis fell to this position, leaving many in the league surprised. Known for his playmaking abilities and offensive vision, he notably set a Euro-league record with 17 assists in a game. His stats in college include averaging 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. The Heat's front office views him as a key piece in their youth-focused strategy following previous trade pursuits.
"He is a really good rim finisher, probably one of the best rim finishers among guards in the draft .... He is a true leader, somebody who can really get a team organized, but also strong himself to be a scorer."
Many around the league have publicly pondered how Jakucionis even fell to Miami that low in the draft. He was projected to be a lottery pick by several of the national media outlets.
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