Former UCLA Bruins forward Jamie Jaquez Jr. has been one of the main storylines among NBA rookies this season. In a strong draft class, Jaquez Jr. has stood out in front of many of his peers.
He landed with the Miami Heat, and it has been a perfect match so far. His attitude toward the game of basketball is exactly how Miami likes to do everything, and he has been turning heads since coming into the league.
Heat veteran big man and former UCLA Bruins player, Kevin Love has seen firsthand how good of a player Jaquez really is. He recently gave him his flowers and has appreciated what he has seen from the rookie, per Ben Bolch of The Los Angeles Times.
“He certainly has a very grown-man game, if you will, can step in right away,” Love said. “He’s been well-coached, you can tell. He doesn’t get sped up, has a really good pace to his game and I think as he goes through his first and second and third time in the league, his upside is only going to get higher.”
Jaquez has positioned himself into a nice rotation role with Miami. He has gained the respect of the veteran players on the team, and his career couldn't have started any better.
Love has taken Jaquez under his wing, and he is a great player to learn from. He is a multi-time All-Star and an NBA champion from his days in Cleveland.
“I’ve been a fan of his, now I get to have my locker right next to him and be somewhat of a mentor, but certainly a great vet for him,” Love noted, “so I’m looking forward to watching him grow.”
If his success continues, Jaquez may have a small chance of winning the Rookie of the Year award. He has been a great story so far, and hopefully, he can keep it up.
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