- Nikola Jovic
- HT/WT: 6'11, 223 lbs
- Birthdate: 6/9/2003 (19)
- College: N/A
- Draft Info: 2022: rd 1, pk 27 (MIA)
- Experience: Rookie
Nikola Jovic born June 9, 2003 is a Serbian professional basketball player for the Miami of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He’s 6-foot-10 (2.08 meters), 223 pounds (101 kilograms) for the small forward position and was selected by the Miami Heat in the NBA draft 2022.
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Nikola Jović Early career
Jovic was born at the Royal Hospital in Leicestershire, England, when his father Ilya was playing basketball. He has played water polo for VK Partizan and basketball since childhood. Before joining the Mega Basket youth system in 2018, Jovic played basketball for the KK Sava youth system. He averaged 10.3 rebounds, 29.3 points, 4.5 assists and 1.8 blocks per game at the 2020-21 Euroleague Basketball Next Generation Championship in Belgrade, Serbia, while shooting 66 percent from the field and three-pointers in 28 minutes per game. Shooting 17%, won the MVP award.
Professional career
Super Basket (2021–2022)
Jovic made his debut for Mega Basket in February 2021 at the Radivoj Korać Cup tournament in Novi Sad. On March 19, Jovic made his ABA League debut in a 74-65 loss to Split, where he had 10 points and 9 rebounds in 21 minutes. On June 10, 2021, the day after his 18th birthday, he signed his first professional contract with Mega.
Jovic was voted the best non-NBA international player in NBA.com’s 2021-22 NBA season general manager survey. In April 2022, Jovic was named the ABA Rookie of the Year for the 2021-22 season. In the 2021-22 season, Jovic is averaging 11.7 points, 42.8 percent from the field, 35.6 percent from 3 point range and 75.4 percent from the free throw line in 25 games, contributing 4.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.7 turnovers and 0.4 blocks.
Miami Heat (2022-present)
In April 2022, Jovic declared for the 2022 NBA draft. On June 23, 2022, Jovic participated in the 2022 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. He was selected by the Miami with the 27th overall pick in the first round. Jovic officially signed a multi-year rookie-scale contract with the Heat on July 2, 2022. In July 2022, he joined the Heat to compete in the NBA Summer League.
National team career
Jovic missed the 2019 FIBA U16 Euro Championship in Udine, Italy with a right arm injury.
In July 2021, Jovic will participate in the FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup as part of the Serbia U19 national team. In seven games, he averaged 18.1 points, 8.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists. He was named to all tournament teams.
In February 2022, the 18-year-old Jovic made his first appearance for the Serbian national team in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Originally on the Serbian primary roster for Euro 2022, Jovic was cut due to opposition from the Heat.