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As the Miami Heat usher in a new era with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge, his influence will inevitably be felt across the entire roster. Among the promising talents aiming to make their mark this season is Nikola Jovic, who recently shared which player he would like to emulate in his career—and the answer might raise some eyebrows.
While Antetokounmpo and Bam Adebayo are obvious choices, Jovic pointed to a different teammate: Bobby Portis Jr., who joined the Heat this offseason along with Antetokounmpo via trade. Portis has built a reputation as a reliable bench contributor, bringing energy, rebounding, and three-point shooting to the floor.
Following Miami's 125-124 preseason defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, Jovic expressed his admiration for the veteran. "I really hope I have a career like Portis," he said. Jovic even recalled speaking in front of the team during training camp: "In a lot of the meetings during training camp, I kind of even said, you know, in front of everybody that you know, at one point, I really hope I have a career like Bobby, and I think a lot of people underestimate him, things he done, and can learn a lot—not just from him, guys like Klay [Thompson] and Giannis [Antetokounmpo], and even though I had a lot of vets and a lot of good ones, you can always learn more—and Tim [Hardaway Jr.]." He quickly added with a laugh, "I'm sorry, I forgot about Tim, but I'm for sure going to use him as a guy who are going to help you grow on and off the court."
Jovic's Up-and-Down Heat Tenure
Since being selected 27th overall in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jovic has experienced a rollercoaster ride in his four seasons with Miami. At 6-foot-10, he possesses offensive versatility and floor-spacing ability, but consistency has been elusive. In the 2025-26 season, he posted career highs of 10.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 46 games (10 starts), shooting 45.6% from the field and 37.1% from three in 25.1 minutes per game. However, last season told a different story: hampered by injuries and struggling to adapt to Miami's fast-paced system, he averaged 7.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting just 36.6% from the field and 26.9% from deep in 47 contests (one start) over 17.2 minutes per game.
Spoelstra Praises Jovic's Body Language
In Saturday's preseason loss, with projected starters resting, Jovic seized the opportunity, tallying 16 points on 7-of-11 shooting (2-of-2 from three), along with six rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra remains confident in Jovic's talent, but what encouraged him most was the forward's improved body language. "I've been encouraged, and this is what I continue to tell him: just stack positive days, and then if there's a day that's not a positive day, just come back the next day, and get back to it," Spoelstra said. "My favorite play of the night was some kind of broken fast break and made a turnover on a pass. I think he's been known to like sometimes have the body language of run into the stands. He just turned around dead ass to get back on defense, and then came back and missed another chippy, and then turned around and got back into the fight. That's what we're talking about. It's not about anything else. He has the skills. You could see that on display really in all of the games right now, and he'll just continue to get better. You know, that happens to every single NBA player; when the game is not going how you want it to go, you just figure out how you're going to win that next possession."
Jovic, who had previously emphasized the need to improve his body language during training camp, felt he made strides. "Yeah, I mean, I think I just grew up a little bit. It's a new year for me, and I'm just smarter in a certain type of situation," he said. "And next play speed is something that he really wants me to be good at. So that's something I'm just locked in a little bit more now, and as simple as that."
As the preseason continues with a matchup against the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, Jovic's development remains a key storyline. All eyes will be on how he performs in his fifth season, leading up to the regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the Timberwolves.
Originally reported by yahoo.