MIAMI – With the Miami Heat boasting its depth this season, leading to early successful results, one of the players who has stuck out like a sore thumb with their frustrating play is Nikola Jovic. While Jovic is going through an uneven start for the Heat this season, head coach Erik Spoelstra speaks on the narrative regarding the young player that he doesn't buy.
Having returned from a four-game absence with a hip impingement, Jovic would be listed as “available” last Wednesday against the Milwaukee Bucks, but didn't log a single second of action. He would play in Saturday's loss to the Detroit Pistons, but it was only 10 minutes, despite the absence of Jaime Jaquez Jr., where he recorded a -15 on the floor with five turnovers.
When Spoelstra was asked after the loss about confidence feeding into Jovic's play, Spoelstra would give his two cents on that notion.
“I think that is a narrative that's out there,” Spoelstra said. “Look, he needs to get in a better rhythm. He needs to put in some work. He'll be just fine. But the more you put into it, and he was sidetracked a little bit with his injury, but it's the attention to detail. It's the work ethic every single day that has to be consistent, and he'll get there.”
Erik Spoelstra would downplay narrative that confidence plays a lot to Nikola Jovic’s game:
“I don’t buy that. That’s a narrative that’s out there, he needs to get in better rhythm. He needs to put in some work, he’ll be just fine…” #HeatNation
Full response: pic.twitter.com/FDDzE2UwgH
— Zachary Weinberger (@ZachWeinberger) November 30, 2025
With Spoelstra putting faith into Jovic, there also comes a moment of realization, with the 22-year-0ld saying to The Miami Herald after Sunday's practice that it “bothers” him that he isn't playing well at the moment.
“I don’t think it’s something that’s going to last a lot longer,” Jovic said. “I still think I’m playing good basketball for the others. I’m just playing bad basketball for myself…I’m working every day to be better, and I know I will be.”
Heat's Nikola Jovic on improving the “mental” aspect
As Jovic searches for consistency with the Heat, he has had stretches in the past of frustrating play, but would eventually turn it around, like last season, where he didn't play six straight games, but played double-digit minutes in the final 32 games. This season, Jovic has been looking to acclimate to Miami's new fast-paced, free-flowing offensive system, which will seemingly take more time to do.
“It is surprising to me, especially because I felt pretty good during training camp and a little bit during preseason,” Jovic said, via The Miami Herald. “And to come into the season like that, it feels weird. It still feels weird. You feel like you’re just trying to figure out where it went kind of sideways. Like, why does it look that way? Because I’ve never played like this.”
This season so far, Jovic has been averaging 8.8 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game while shooting 40.2 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from deep. Miami's 2022 first-round pick still boasts the intangibles and play-making ability to be a rotational piece, proven by the Heat giving Jovic a 62.4 million contract extension.
Jovic is confident that this tough stretch won't last long, and it's the “mental” side he has to work on.
“I feel like at this moment, it’s a little more mental,” Jovic said. “I’m hunting for shots because I’m worried that I’m not going to play as much or I’m taking bad shots, and stuff like that. But, yeah, I’ll be good. It’s nothing that’s going to last long. The most important thing is for us to win, and that’s what I’m really concentrating on.”
There's no doubt Miami fans will monitor how much Jovic's role changes throughout the season.
