The Miami Heat have officially signed their 2025 first-round draft pick, Kasparas Jakucionis, to his rookie scale contract, according to Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel.
Jakucionis, a 19-year-old wing from Lithuania, was selected by the Heat with the 20th overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Under his rookie deal, he will earn $3.66 million in the 2025-26 season and $17.7 million over the entirety of his initial four-year contract.
Before entering the NBA, the player developed his game internationally, beginning his professional career in 2020-21 with Perlas Vilnius in Lithuania.
He then spent two seasons playing for FC Barcelona in both the EuroLeague and Spain’s top-tier Liga ACB from 2022 to 2024. Jakucionis made the transition to U.S. college basketball for the 2024-25 season, committing to the University of Illinois.
During his single collegiate season, Jakucionis earned All-Big Ten Third Team honors, showcasing his skills across 33 games.
The 6-foot-6 wing averaged solid numbers of 15.0 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 44% from the field, 31.8% from beyond the arc, and 84.5% from the free-throw line.
Miami’s selection of Jakucionis marked their lone pick in the 2025 draft. The Heat concluded last season with a 37-45 record, placing 10th in the Eastern Conference.
Despite a middling regular season, Miami clinched the final playoff berth by winning both play-in tournament games, only to be swept in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Jakucionis brings young talent to Miami’s roster as they aim to improve on last season and develop their team for the future.
The Heat have signed their top pick: https://t.co/tXawzIkEld
— Hoops Rumors (@HoopsRumors) July 2, 2025
