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Heat first-round pick dishes on 2025 Summer League experience

Originally posted on NBA on ClutchPoints
By Jaren Kawada | Last updated Jul 20, 2025 12:28 PM ET

The NBA Summer League is never the most accurate way to judge a rookie prospect, but it is always a telling first step. For Miami Heat rookie guard Kasparas Jakucionis, it was the perfect way to ease him into NBA-level action.

Jakucionis, who is only in his second year of playing American basketball, felt that the Summer League provided him with valuable experience to take into his rookie season. While most of the team will not be on the Heat’s regular season roster, Jakucionis still believes he learned a lot from playing with that specific unit.

“I’m happy to have this experience,” Jakucionis said, via The Miami Herald. “I think we learned a lot as a team. As for me individually, I think I learned a lot and just gaining experience every time is good. So I’m just trying to take it all in from coaches, from players who have been here. I’m just trying to listen and trying to take as much information as I can.”

Jakucionis struggled early on, averaging just 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists in three games at the California Classic. However, he immediately turned it on in Las Vegas. Jakucionis had his best game of the Summer League in the Heat’s July 11 game against the Atlanta Hawks, in which he scored 24 points, including 19 in the first half.

While he struggled in moments, Jakucionis left Las Vegas averaging 15.0 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game in three appearances at the NBA 2k26 Summer League. He did not blow anyone away, but he got more comfortable throughout the process, which is a positive sign heading into training camp.

Kasparas Jakucionis headlines Heat’s Summer League standouts

Kasparas Jakucionis talks to the media during the 2025 NBA Draft Combine at Marriott Marquis Chicago. David Banks-Imagn Images

Jakucionis was one of the handful of Heat players who stood out in the Summer League. The team also featured 2024 first-round pick Kel’el Ware, Pelle Larsson and Keshad Johnson, who are all already on Miami’s roster.

Aside from the obvious, the Heat should also be impressed by Vlad Goldin, Erik Stevenson and Kira Lewis Jr. Goldin, a 2024-2025 first-team All-Big 10 center, ended the Summer League with an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double in just 22 minutes. He was productive with his opportunities each game, eventually surpassing Dain Dainja in the starting lineup with Ware out.

Stevenson and Lewis anchored the team’s backcourt throughout the league, particularly with Larsson and Jakucionis fluctuating in and out of the lineup. Both are older than the average prospect — Stevenson is 26 and Lewis is 24 — but showed enough to earn a second look as potential two-way players.

This article first appeared on NBA on ClutchPoints and was syndicated with permission.

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