In an interview with Cyro Asseo of HoopsHype, Miami Heat rookie Kasparas Jakucionis drew a direct line between head coach Erik Spoelstra and his former mentors.
“He’s so nice, an amazing coach, to be honest,” Jakucionis said. “He has a lot of knowledge of the game and is a very good leader.”
The Lithuanian guard explicitly compared Spoelstra to his European and college coaches. “He reminds me of some of my coaches in Barcelona, like Sarunas Jasikevicius, and even last year with Brad Underwood at Illinois,” he said.
Jasikevicius won four EuroLeague titles, was EuroBasket MVP in 2003 as a player, and earned multiple domestic championships and coach of the year honors, including EuroLeague title and Coach of the Year in 2025 and a European Basketball Triple Crown.
Jakucionis described a shared coaching DNA that centers on accountability and standards. “I think they all have this kind of drive to win and always try to reach their maximum potential,” he added.
He emphasized methods that go beyond words. “They try to get everyone on the same page and include everybody to win. They don’t just say it, they lead by example,” Jakucionis said.
Jakucionis noted personal gratitude for the chance to learn under that approach. “I’m really grateful to have this opportunity to be on this team and learn from the best,” he said.
Selected 20th overall in the 2025 NBA draft, Jakucionis has taken on a rotation role for Miami this season. In 29 games with eight starts, he is averaging 17.0 minutes and 5.6 points per contest while the Heat sit 29-28 and eighth in the Eastern Conference.
The rookie framed his adjustment to the NBA as an extension of things he learned overseas. “Lead by example” and “get everyone on the same page” were phrases he returned to when describing how Spoelstra’s style mirrors the culture he knew in Barcelona and at Illinois.
