The anticipation built for Illini fans with each pick in the 2025 NBA Draft at the end of June. Freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis was projected to be a lottery pick, chosen in the top 14, which had not happened for an Illini since 2012. However, 14 picks came and went, and Jakučionis’ name was not called.
Eventually, at pick No. 20, the Miami Heat finally chose Jakučionis, making him the highest-drafted player of the Brad Underwood era despite dropping out of the lottery.
“This is the thing that you cannot control,” Jakučionis said. “And it doesn’t matter when you get called, but if you get called, that’s an amazing moment. And I was so happy to be picked up by Miami, especially, you know, their culture, their winning mentality. I think it’s a bit similar to Illinois.”
Miami has a long history of being a tough-nosed program that has done very well with player development. Going later in the draft may have been a blessing in disguise for Jakučionis. Miami is an optimal landing spot for the 19-year-old, who has shown flashes of stardom and high basketball IQ, but is still young and in need of further development.
“I feel blessed and grateful,” Jakučionis said. “It’s just the winning culture, the toughness, the mentality. In this culture, it’s all about mentality and just being tough and just trying to win all the time.”
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Jakučionis had his first taste of Heat basketball in July at the NBA Summer League. The highlight of his six games came in his fourth contest against Atlanta: a 24-point outburst on 7-12 shooting (5-9 for 3-pointers) along with four rebounds, four assists, two steals and only two turnovers.
Jakučionis looked like a steal during that game, bringing back his high-level play that fans experienced during the first half of last season. However, the rest of Jakučionis’ Summer League play was plagued with much of what he struggled with during the last leg of his year at Illinois. In his other five games, Jakučionis averaged 6.6 points (on a rough 21.9% shooting) and four turnovers. The physicality of NBA-level defenses seemed to be a major adjustment, and playing more off the ball is also a change for the young Lithuanian.
Despite the lows, Jakučionis did play solid defense and showed bursts of offensive prowess. That will need to become more consistent for him to finds success in the pros. Unlike at Illinois, a majority of the offensive pressure will not be placed on him from day one. Jakučionis will be able to invest in the process and develop. He says that is where his focus will be this upcoming season, not necessarily worrying about the initial results.
“It’s a process, so it’s not very easy to just go and do good every game,” Jakučionis said. “But I think the most important part is (to) believe in the process, give all our efforts, everything you can on the floor and the workouts. It doesn’t matter if you do good or bad. Still, the next day you’ll go out to the same gym and work out again, so I think it’s all about the process, and just I have to stick with the plan and stick with myself.”
Jakučionis had been doing exactly that this summer. He has been seen working out in Miami’s facilities ever since Summer League concluded, skipping EuroBasket in favor of development. His dedication to the details has been clear ever since he stepped foot on campus at Illinois. The Illini coaching staff noted his commitment to watching film and getting up extra shots and his maturity for being so young. Those attributes should keep serving Jakučionis well in South Beach as he gets ready to make his NBA debut in just over a month.
Jakučionis and the Heat kick off preseason action on Oct. 4 against the Magic. The regular season begins for Miami on Oct. 22, also against Orlando. For Illini fans who want to see Jakučionis play in person again, the Heat will visit the Bulls at the United Center in Chicago on Nov. 21. There is sure to be orange and blue in that crowd, just as there was at Summer League whenever Jakučionis was on the floor.
“I just want to say thank you to (Illinois fans) for just supporting not only the journey at Illinois, but also outside of it,” Jakučionis said, “Even now, (at) Summer League, I’m playing with the Heat, but they still come, and they count me as an Illini. Just the culture there is incredible, and I think I’ll be an Illini for life.”
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