Bill Simmons Reacts to Miami Heat's Pick of Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis

Bill Simmons has made a cottage industry of his NBA opinions, and even if those thoughts are often tinged Kelly green as viewed through the lens of his Boston Celtics fandom, the erstwhile Sports Guy tends to be better informed than most.

So when Simmons gathered with buddy/podcasting wingman Joe House and NBA expert J. Kyle Mann on "The Bills Simmons Podcast" to break down the recent NBA Draft, Illinois fans might be interested to know the player that elicited perhaps the biggest reaction from the host over the 80 minutes of first-round analysis: Kasparas Jakucionis.

"I'm watching, I'm rooting for the Celtics maybe to trade out, because he was one of my favorite guys," Simmons said of Jakucionis. "And I know he can't go by anybody, but using the pick-and-roll ... that guy's an NBA player."

Simmons semi-famously has a grudging respect for the Miami Heat, who ended Jakucionis' draft slide with the No. 20 pick, and whom he believes can help coach Erik Spoelstra and president Pat Riley again lead the franchise back to contention in the Eastern Conference – sooner than later.

"Miami, as usual – classic – just like Danny Green, [Caron] Butler, Tyler Herro, you just go on through and it just always happens for them," Simmons said. "And it happens again, and Jakucionis falls to them."

Mann noted that he had Jakucionis rated as his No. 7 player in the draft, and Simmons couldn't get over Miami's luck – especially when the depleted Washington Wizards (no point guard of the future) and Brooklyn Nets (pinning all their hopes at the position on No. 8 pick Egor Demin) passed at Nos. 18 and 19.

"How did they do it?" Simmons said.