MIAMI – As Miami Heat star Jaime Jaquez Jr. suffered a sophomore slump last season, he is looking to readjust his focus in his third year in an effort to solidify his spot in head coach Erik Spoelstra's rotation. Jaquez would make steps in the right direction, as besides the Heat star dunking over SanAntonioo Spurs sensation Victor Wembanyama, he had a standout performance.
In the 112-107 preseason loss to the Spurs on Wednesday, he came off the bench and scored 19 points, making six of his eight shots from the field to go along with three rebounds. He went back to his strengths in driving towards the paint, looking to take advantage of the defense by either using his physicality for the bucket or passing out to an open man.
Spoelstra has noticed the improvements, even saying that the one area he doesn't want to take away is his aggressiveness, which is “probably his best offensive skill.”
“He's really competitive, so he's going to compete defensively; he has some things that he has to overcome sometimes with the quicker guards, but it's not from a lack of hustle or competition,” Spoelstra said. “And then on the other side, offensively, he's such a downhill force that he's going to attract outside defenders.”
“So naturally, he has to evolve and make enough plays to keep the defense honest, because we need him to be aggressive,” Spoelstra continued. “I don't want to take away the aggressiveness that's his, probably his best offensive skill. He has great footwork and all those things, and makes enough plays and you help generate some easy shots for other guys, then that opens up your own driving angles.”
Erik Spoelstra speaks on Jaime Jaquez Jr.’s performance and what impressed him tonight with his aggressiveness. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/PqePiyEo3t
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 9, 2025
Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. on his development
As Jaquez goes through an adjustment period with the Heat, he is looking to get back to his impressive rookie season, where he was a sparkplug off the bench, and even filled in the starting lineup when needed and performed well. He earned a spot in the NBA's All-Rookie first team, but regressed in his second year, with the league adapting to his strengths, forcing him to shoot more, making 46.1 percent from the field and 31.1 percent from deep.
“Yeah, I just stopped putting pressure on myself, make-or-miss threes, if I miss it, stop letting it affect me,” Jaquez said after the Spurs' loss on Wednesday. “I think last year, I was trying to put too much emphasis and pressure on myself, to try to just be that. And this year I'm just focusing on my strengths, and one of those strengths is just getting downhill, you know, creating for my team.”
Full comments from Jaime Jaquez Jr. about his standout game, the focus on not straying away from his strengths, and answers me about how “impressed” he was with Kasparas Jakucionis. #HeatNation pic.twitter.com/INeMLwsr7l
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) October 9, 2025
There has been some added responsibility for Jaquez in terms of changing his role when necessary, which differentiates him from the starting or the second unit. However, he highlights that getting downhikk and facilitating are where he's focusing on rather than being a knockdown shooter.
“For sure, I think, you know, different places in this team,” Jaquez said. “You got to play different roles. Sometimes starting, want to be a little bit more facilitator, trying to get guys going. Coming into the second unit, want to get downhill, get some drives going.”
Jaquez looks to continue to improve with the next preseason game on Sunday evening against the Orlando Magic.
