Kasparas Jakucionis is heading to South Beach after being selected 20th overall by the Miami Heat in the 2025 NBA Draft.
One season was all it took for Jakucionis to turn heads at Illinois, where he put up 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game.
Some of Jakucionis’ numbers, however, have led fans to question whether he’s ready for the next level. However, CBS Sports analyst Adam Finkelstein broke down Miami’s decision to draft the Illinois freshman guard and explained why the stats shouldn’t be a cause for concern.
“I understand the concerns. He’s a guy who is skilled, and his basketball acumen are viewed as his best assets,” Finkelstein said. “Yet, he didn’t shoot it particularly well from the three-point line, and he had a really high turnover rate. So, I understand why people are nervous.”
kasparas jakucionis
Feb 8, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Will Riley (7) and guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) celebrate during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Williams Arena.
© Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
“Let me also make this point. You just put a chip on this guy’s shoulder and you send him to the Miami Heat. This is going to fuel something in him. Remember, this is the same Heat program that just turned Kel'el Ware, and figured out a way to get his motor running, turned him into one of the best picks in last year’s draft.”
“I think this is terrific value for Miami. Miami was linked to Walter Clayton Jr. this week, and I think that likely would have been the pick. But if you are a Heat fan right now, you’re ecstatic about this.”