The Miami Heat have made a living out of developing strong-minded players, regardless of how low they’re picked in the NBA Draft.
They have even turned undrafted players into legit rotation pieces.
That’s why some believe Jaime Jaquez Jr. could turn out to be the next steal in that long list compiled by Erik Spoelstra and Pat Riley, and it didn’t take long before he put the league on notice.
The UCLA product had one of the plays of the night in his Summer League debut, a beautiful poster dunk to put an exclamation point next to a very solid performance.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is here to make a name for himself this summer 🙌 pic.twitter.com/cMqnuNG2Lr
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 4, 2023
When asked about his feelings after the dunk, via SportsCenter, Jaquez talked about how he wanted to make an early impact.
Notably, some scouts considered Jaquez to be one of the biggest sleepers in this class.
Most teams are hesitant to take seniors or aging players in the draft because they think they have a lower ceiling, but that’s not always the case.
He was one of the most accomplished players available this year, and his game in the low post is second to none among players at his position.
He’s an elite rebounder for a guy his size, a hard worker, and the kind of hustler who’ll put his body on the line on every single possession, and that just reeks of “Heat Culture.”
Of course, one should never jump to conclusions after just one game, especially in Summer League, but he has everything in his favor to crack Coach Spo’s rotation right away.
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