For the second straight year, Illinois has a first round pick in the NBA Draft. Guard Kasparas Jakučionis was selected No. 20 overall by the Miami Heat on Wednesday evening. Jakučionis was in the green room at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, joined by his family, representation and Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. The Lithuanian was expected to be a lottery pick, but he was still chosen in the first round despite falling out of the top 14.
Jakučionis had a very strong freshman season at Illinois. He averaged a team-high 15 points while also contributing 5.7 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 33 games for the Illini. Jakučionis set a freshman record for 20-point games with 10, and he tied the program’s single-season freshman scoring record. He was thought of as a potential first-round pick when he came into Champaign, and his play throughout the season solidified that status.
However, the final month of the season was a struggle for Jakučionis, and it may have played a part in him dropping out of the lottery. Despite those late seasons struggles, Jakučionis’ highs during the majority of his lone college year stood out. His combination of size, fearlessness, elite ability to operate in the pick-and-roll, vision to make tough passes and knack for knocking down big shots all make him an intriguing piece at the next level.
Of course, he will need to reduce his turnover rate and become a better defender, but offensively, he has the tools to thrive in the NBA. Jakučionis will have the opportunity to grow in a Miami Heat system that has been proven to develop players at a high level. Heat guards Terry Rozier and Tyler Herro should serve as strong veteran examples to Jakučionis of how to succeed in an NBA backcourt. There is also strong potential for Jakučionis to fit well with Heat big men Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware in pick-and-roll scenarios, which was one of his major strengths in college.
Next up for Jakučionis will be NBA Summer League from July 10-20 in Las Vegas. As a top pick, he will get a lot of minutes from the coaching staff and have plenty of opportunities to showcase how his game translates to the next level.
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