From the moment the Miami Heat selected Jaime Jaquez Jr. in the first round of last year’s NBA draft, there was a sense that the team had found the right player at the right time.
This notion was confirmed shortly after the season ended when Jaquez reflected on his rookie year.
After being picked No. 18 overall out of UCLA in June, Jaquez highlighted his commitment to improvement and maintaining health as crucial for building on his rookie success during his exit interview. His dedication was evident as he became the first Heat draft pick to be named to the first-team All-Rookie since Michael Beasley in 2009.
“I would just say the biggest thing I would take away from this season is learning the importance of just taking care of your body, and your health and your mind,” Jaquez said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing to learn, that it’s a long season. Your health is very important, mental, physical, so always got to keep that in check.”
Jaquez, a 6-foot-6 wing, appeared in a team-high 75 games during the regular season, demonstrating his resilience and availability. He joined the ranks of lottery-selected All-Rookie leading candidates like Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren, and Brandon Miller with personal expectations closer to those of a top draft pick.
Credits teammates Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for his rookie success
“It’s been great just having such an experienced group of veterans around me that have so much experience. To be able to learn under them and to take what they’re giving me has just been huge,” Jaquez said, crediting teammates Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo for his rookie success. “And I think it’s given me an advantage being able to play in my rookie season and just learning from guys like that.”
The 2024 NBA first-team All-Rookie included Jaquez, 2024 Rookie of the Year Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder), Miller (Charlotte Hornets), and Brandin Podziemski (Golden State Warriors). In the media balloting conducted prior to the playoffs, Jaquez received 89 first-team votes and 10 second-team votes, earning votes from all 99 media members.
Named second-team All-Rookie were Dallas Mavericks big man Dereck Lively II, Houston Rockets forward Amen Thompson, Utah Jazz guard Keyonte George, Oklahoma City guard Cason Wallace, and Memphis Grizzlies forward GG Jackson II. Voting was not position-specific.
Jaquez was also named NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October/November and December, becoming the fifth Heat rookie to win the award, joining Beasley, Caron Butler, Josh Richardson, and Kendrick Nunn.
“Jaime exploded on the scene,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “That was obvious for everybody to see. Then he got on everyone’s scouting reports. Then it changed for a little bit. Then he was injured. Then when he came back, I really felt like he was a much better player. He was able to see things at a deeper level.”
Misses six games in January with a groin strain
Jaquez’s rookie season saw only a minor setback, missing six games in January with a groin strain. By then, he was already on opposing scouting reports, requiring him to develop counters and read defenses more effectively.
“Especially down in the post is where I think that word was out on me,” Jaquez said. “So just developing counters and reading defenses and understanding how to get to my spots.”
Looking forward, Jaquez aims to enhance his defense and become a consistent, knockdown shooter. “Just being able to get to a lockdown defender is one of the things I’m looking forward to being in my coming years,” he said, “as well as just a consistent, knockdown shooter are probably the two biggest things for me.”
Among rookie league leaders this season, Jaquez finished third in steals and minutes, fourth in steals per game and field goals made, fifth in points, free-throw percentage, minutes per game, and total plus/minus, sixth in free throws made and field-goal percentage, eighth in scoring average and assists, 10th in rebounds and assists per game, and 14th in rebounds per game.
