Erik Spoelstra Explains How International Play Helps His Team

While speaking with a Serbian television station while attending EuroBasket, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said he was looking forward to seeing how Nikola Jovic's game improves. 

There are some teams that really fear allowing their players to participate in international offseason tournaments. While the players are excited to be around their countrymen, there are always worries about severe injuries that could derail seasons. 

Erik Spoelstra, the longtime Heat coach, is attending multiple games at this year's tournament. He is expecting Jovic to come back even better:

"I’m really excited for Niko. I love it when he spends time with the national team. Every time he comes back to us, he come back more mature. I think being around a group that knows how to win, that really cares about winning, the team is so connected, also. So I think it makes a big impression on him. We’re looking forward to some great things ahead for him with us."

Jovic is playing for the Serbian team along with Nikola Jokic and Bogdan Bogdanovic. While he was born in England to a professional basketball player father, Jovic grew up in Belgrade and was soon seen as a viable NBA prospect. The Heat selected Jovic with the 27th pick in the 2022 Draft. 

The 2024-2025 season was Jovic's best year as a professional. Playing 25 minutes a game, he set career highs in points with 10.7 and assists with 2.8. His shooting was especially impressive, as he shot .456% from the field and 37.1% from three.