Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic got his first taste of the NBA regular season in Wednesday's victory against the Portland Trail Blazers.
He finished with two points and two rebounds in 14 minutes.
“He’s been putting in a lot of time,” Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. “He still has a lot to learn. But the guys encourage him. They see his skillset, they see how he can help.
Jovic entered as the Heat's backup center to Bam Adebayo. They envision him playing a variety of positions, including both forward spots.
“It was good to have him out there when we were playing well, so you could see the possibilities," Spoelstra said. "And hopefully we could just continue to build on that.”
Jovic, who has yet to graduate high school, was drafted in the first round after playing professionally in Serbia. The Heat still view him a long-term developmental draft prospect but it is encouraging he is receiving playing time so early in his career.
The Heat return to action Thursday against the defending champion Golden State Warriors. It is the second of a three-game, West Coast road trip that concludes Saturday against the Sacramento Kings.
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