Under the bright lights of the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Miami Heat fans erupted with excitement as rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis delivered a stunning bounce-back performance in the team’s 2025 NBA Summer League opener against the Atlanta Hawks. Just days after a quiet showing in the California Classic, the 18-year-old Lithuanian prodigy exploded for a dynamic first half that silenced doubters and electrified the Heat faithful.
From the opening tip, Jakucionis played like a man on a mission. He drained a pull-up three on Miami’s first possession, then followed it up with a crafty euro-step layup through contact, drawing cheers from the crowd and nods of approval from Heat brass in attendance. By the end of the first quarter, he had already logged 11 points, 3 assists, and 2 steals — an emphatic reminder of why the Heat selected him 15th overall in the 2025 NBA Draft.
“This is who he is,” said Heat Summer League head coach Malik Allen postgame. “He’s a competitor, he learns quickly, and tonight he showed his poise and talent.”
Jakucionis, known for his blend of size, IQ, and scoring ability, showcased his full offensive arsenal. In one sequence, he weaved through two defenders with a deceptive hesitation dribble and found forward Orlando Robinson for a thunderous alley-oop. Moments later, he read a passing lane like a seasoned veteran, intercepting a lazy Hawks entry pass and finishing on the break with a smooth left-handed finger roll.
By halftime, Jakucionis had tallied 17 points on 6-of-8 shooting, including 3-of-4 from beyond the arc, along with 5 assists, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals — all in just 16 minutes. It was a statement, not just to the league, but to Miami fans anxious to see the franchise’s next young star emerge.
Twitter lit up as Heat fans flooded timelines with praise: “Jakucionis looks like Dragic with a jumper,” one fan posted. Another simply wrote, “The kid is HIM.”
The comparisons to Goran Dragić, a fellow Slovenian-speaker and Heat legend, are inevitable, but Jakucionis is already carving his own identity. Where Dragić was a fiery slasher, Jakucionis plays with a cerebral calm — a chess master in sneakers, always two moves ahead.
“People forget he’s still a teenager,” said teammate Nikola Jović. “But he plays like he’s been in the league for years.”
The Heat went on to win the game 92–81, but all eyes remained fixed on Jakucionis’ breakout. After his lukewarm Summer League debut in Sacramento — where he scored just 4 points and looked hesitant — this performance was a thrilling turnaround.
More importantly, it reaffirmed the Heat’s vision: that Jakucionis can be a cornerstone guard, molded in the culture of grit, defense, and relentless improvement. For now, it’s just Summer League, but if Monday night was any indication, the Heat may have struck gold again.
And as one fan shouted from the stands after his final three-pointer: “We got one!”
