MIAMI – In his lone exhibition appearance, Jaime Jacquez Jr. showed he had all the moves. The next step is being able to move well enough again so the Miami Heat first-round pick can get back on the court.
One and done so far in the preseason due to a groin strain suffered last week in the Heat’s first practice of the preseason at Kaseya Center, the 6-foot-6 wing out of UCLA has been sidelined for three consecutive exhibitions, including Wednesday night’s against the visiting Brooklyn Nets.
“Going forward,” Jaquez said, “we’re going to take a look and reassess and go from there.”
The preseason debut on Oct. 10 against the Charlotte Hornets was particularly impressive, with Jaquez closing with 13 points and seven rebounds in 23:43 in the victory.
The following day, Jaquez’s heart sank.
“It was non contact,” he said of his injury. “Just went up for a dunk and felt something pull tight in my groin. I think it hurt a lot worse than it actually was when it happened.
“The fear set in a little bit, but we’re good. It’s something more than just a strain, but we’re being very precautious not trying to re-aggravate it or make it any worse.”
That leaves Friday’s Heat preseason finale on the road against the Houston Rockets as the last chance for additional preseason minutes.
Based on the preseason debut, there was thought of Jaquez getting rotation minutes as soon as the Oct. 25 regular-season opener against the visiting Detroit Pistons.
Now nothing is certain, including even being active on opening night.
Through it all, Jaquez, 22, said he has taken in as much as possible from the sidelines, after rigorous drilling in training camp prior to the injury.
“I’ve been in the gym for a long time now, starting in the summer, throughout training camp, and then now into the preseason,” he said. “I feel like I’ve retained a lot of information, I’ve gotten a lot better.
“And I think I’ve been playing well in my chances that I’ve gotten the opportunity to play in. It’s just about all about making the right play. When the start of the season starts, I’m going to be ready.”
Coach Erik Spoelstra agreed about the readiness from a mental standpoint.
“He’s put in a great deal of work,” Spoelstra said. “And he’s not a young player, from an experience standpoint. And I think all of his experience in college, it matters. And being around us the last eight weeks really mattered. And we’ll just see.
“When he gets back out here, we’ll see how it unfolds.”
The mentorship during practice, Jaquez said, has been invaluable.
“It’s great,” he said. “When you get put in a situation like this where you’ve got a lot of older guys really leading the way, it makes it a lot easier for someone like me to not only just listen, but to watch.
“You watch these guys and how they process and you just try to do the same exact thing.”
The Jordan Brand has announced the signing of its rookie class for 2023-24:
– Marcus Sasser – Detroit Pistons Guard
– Cam Whitmore – Houston Rockets Forward
– Jaime Jaquez Jr. – Miami Heat Guard
– Jett Howard – Orlando Magic Guard pic.twitter.com/L6OiddCS9b— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) October 13, 2023
It actually has been a whirlwind of surrounding himself with elite talent, recently named to a select group of four 2023-24 rookies along with Jett Howard, Marcus Sasser and Cam Whitmore to hold Jordan Brand endorsements, joining veterans in the brand such as Luka Doncic, Zion Williamson, Jayson Tatum and Heat teammate Bam Adebayo.
“It’s incredible to be a part of that, an elite group of guys,” he said, having also played in Jordan Brand at UCLA. “I’m super excited and happy how the announcement went.”
Still awaiting a meeting with the Jumpman himself.
“I did not get to meet him yet,” he said. “I was in Puerto Rico after summer league. They had a Jordan event just where all the athletes got to go and talk about the brand. It was great.
“He was supposed to be there. He couldn’t make it. But I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
But he already has learned well.
Asked after practice to name the greatest player in NBA history, Jaquez did not hesitate.
“Michael Jordan,” he answered, with a laugh and smile.
All while appreciative of the opportunity.
“I have a family scholarship fund in association with the Latino Bruin Association at UCLA that helps Latin American kids earn scholarships and ensure money is not a reason these kids don’t have an education,” he said in announcing his endorsement deal. “I’m excited to continue to get involved with giving back by signing with Jordan Brand.”