Heat’s Nikola Jovic reveals training camp plan after returning from injury

As fans finalize their predictions for the Miami Heat’s record, one of the most anticipated player appearances this season has to be young star Nikola Jovic. While Heat stars like Duncan Robinson prepare for a bounce-back year, Jovic will look to improve in the system and become a pillar of the team’s young core before training camp begins in October.

But before anything happens, Jovic has to fully recover from an injury he suffered late last season, when he injured his left foot and ankle while training in Miami. Despite that, Jovic played for Team Serbia at this year’s Paris Olympics, where he won a bronze medal, because, as Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald said, those injuries “slowed down” the process of what he “wanted to do this summer.”

“I would say the ankle injury was kind of — I wouldn’t say it was a big blow to me — but it definitely slowed down the things I really wanted to do this summer,” Jovic said.

Heat’s Nikola Jovic on Olympic Experience

With Serbia’s medal win, Jovic became the sixth person in Heat history to win an Olympic medal, and only the second this summer when Bam Adebayo won gold with Team USA. Speaking about his experience in Paris, France, Jovic called it “unbelievable” as it was his second time with the team after competing in the 2023 FIBA ​​World Cup where he won a silver medal.

“It was unbelievable,” Jovic said. “It’s only my second year playing for the national team, but these guys have been around for a while. … We won the bronze medal, which is really important for us and our country.”

Jovic gave a “great” update on his injury situation following his Olympic performance, which should please fans as the 21-year-old is looking to have his best season in 2024. Last season, Jovic averaged 9.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 22.2 minutes per game while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 39 percent from three-point range.

It was a gradual change in Jovic’s involvement as the season started off poorly, but it wasn’t until the midway point that the star was promoted to the starting lineup. He would be deployed as a four alongside Adebayo up front to provide Miami with some size and space.

Jovic also improved defensively, which has always been a strength for Heat coach Erik Spoelstra and his players. On the offensive end, he also improved his shooting, where after being inserted into the starting lineup, he shot 39.2 percent on 3.9 catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts per game, according to The Miami Herald.

Heat’s Nikola Jovic points out one aspect he’s working on

Since being selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Jovic, a Serbian native, has improved each season. However, Jovic would say he has been working on his basket game this summer, especially when he is mismatched due to his size.

“I would say the thing I’ve been working on the most is when I have a mismatch in the low zone,” Jovic said, according to Chiang. “When I have the little guys on me, I just have to punish them, and that’s going to help our team a lot. So I would say that was the biggest thing for me, besides still being able to stretch the floor and stuff like that. Being able to punish any mismatch is a really important part of my game for me, and that’s what I’ve been working on. I’ve been trying to do everything I can to be better at the beginning of the season.”

Heat and Nikola Jovic approach injury cautiously

Turning to the injury, Jovic has previously said he is almost fully healthy and ready for the start of training camp, which is set to take place in early October. If there’s anything to celebrate, it’s that the Heat and Jovic are doing everything they can to be cautious in their approach to the injury, with the 21-year-old even saying that if a potential recurrence were to arise, “I’d probably have to go.”

“We make sure my foot is in good shape after every training session because the injury I had is obviously not a joke and we really don’t want any new problems with it,” Jovic said earlier. “So during the training camp I wouldn’t say I’m going to sit out or anything like that, but of course you just want to make sure everything is OK. If something starts to hurt I’ll probably have to go. But I don’t think that’s going to happen and I’m really looking forward to being 100 percent and just giving it my all.”

In any case, the team is preparing to start the season, even as the Heat continue to add to their roster with the addition of new addition Nassir Little. Miami will have a media day on Monday, September 30, and the first day of training camp will be held on October 1 in the Bahamas in preparation for the regular season opener against the Orlando Magic on October 23.

The Heat will begin the preseason on Tuesday, October 8 against the Charlotte Hornets.