NBA
Chris Broussard said Miami’s Kasparas Jakucionis was a sleeper pick in round one
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated6 hours ago on June 27, 2025
Wednesday evening was round one of the 2025 NBA draft. Thirty players were selected. During the first round, several players slipped past where they were projected to be drafted.
One of them was Miami’s first-round draft pick, Kasparas Jakucionis. He was the 20th pick by the Heat. Jakucionis was projected to be a top-14 pick but slid into the late first round. Regardless, the Heat were ecstatic to get a talent like Jakucionis so late. Fox Sports’ Chris Broussard said Kasparas Jakucionis was a sleeper pick in round one of the 2025 NBA draft.
How good can Kasparas Jakucionis be for the Miami Heat?
“I think this guy might be a star. I think he’s really good.”@Chris_Broussard names the Heat’s pick, Kasparas Jakucionis, the biggest sleeper of Round 1: pic.twitter.com/PZz0XMj9bP
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) June 26, 2025
One glaring weakness on Miami’s roster entering the 2025 NBA draft was a need at PG. Last season, Tyler Herro’s 23.9 points and 5.5 assists per game led the team. Their shooting guard shouldn’t be leading the team in assists per game. That’s why Miami drafted Lithuanian PG out of Illinois, Kasparas Jakucionis. The 19-year-old played one season collegiately for the Fighting Illini. He started all 33 games he played in for head coach Brad Underwood.
Kasparas Jakucionis is a six-foot-five point guard with a six-foot-seven and three-quarters wingspan. In 33 games as a freshman, Jakucionis averaged 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. He only shot .318% from beyond the arc, but the PG made big-time threes when Illinois needed them. At his size, Jakucionis can finish near the rim and has a soft touch in the paint. Additionally, he’s an instinctive passer who should excel at PG for the Heat.
Fox Sports’ Chris Broussard said Jakucionis is a sleeper pick in the first round. Broussard believes the young PG could be a “star” for the Heat. Miami has foundational pieces it can work with moving forward, including Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo. They’re hoping Kasparas Jakucionis can round out their big three.
Miami is known for developing players with raw talent, and Kasparas Jakucionis has a ton of it. He has a high basketball IQ for his age and is capable of running their offense in 2024-25. The 19-year-old could be a day one starter for the Heat. That’s not typically how their organization handles first-round picks, but Kasparas Jakucionis has a skillset the team needs. How effective can the young PG be for the Heat as a rookie?
