[Article: Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. proving 4-year college players can impact NBA immediately: ‘He had a different kind of path that we respect’](https://sports.yahoo.com/heat-rookie-jaime-jaquez-jr-proving-4-year-college-players-can-impact-nba-immediately-he-had-a-different-kind-of-path-that-we-respect-025403108.html)
> “There were stages to his career at UCLA over four years,” Spoelstra said. “In this current NBA society, nobody really wants that. Right now, if you’re not a No. 1 option as a freshman and you’re a five-star recruit, you’re either transferring or you’re declaring. You’re not really developing any kind of grit or learning a role or embracing a role the way Jaime did. He had a different kind of path that we respect.”
by lopea182
26 Comments
I want Heat culture injected in my veins.
Role players, amirite Miami heat?
Man, I wish Heat Culture didn’t get reduced to a marketing meme for the court/jersey because just operating this way fucking rules.
We shit on four year players so much, as if coming in at 22 means they are finished products and can’t improve. They always fall more than they should in the draft. Yet time and time again we see them come into the league with super polished/fundamental games *and* improving just like everyone else. From Grant Hill to Tim Duncan to Brandon Roy to Damian Lillard and so on.
Xavier Booker at MSU is an outlier but for the most part this rings true
The actual hardest road
Heat always find guys and get guys to overperform every single year. Insane development and culture. Starts from coaching and their top guy in jimmy. Seriously wonder how insane their practices are lol. Constantly making deep runs sinxe getting jimmy with very questionable casts speaks highly of them
I 100% agree with this. There are some Seniors who could be playing a major role over guys who go one and done and never make it. Teams want a finished product at 19-20 instead of 22-23. I think Spoelstra is correct in saying far too many teams gave up on upperclassmen.
I feel like every team is going to suddenly start drafting 4 year guys now
We saw in Moneyball why Billy Beane prefered seasoned college players over high school players because they have had so much more reps to run projections. With new CBA you will see more and more contenders going for seasoned players with a higher floor rather than a higher ceiling because you can control 4 years of their prime production on a cheap deal.
Heat about to draft Zach Edey and turn him into an mvp.
Oh god.
Are we still doing the lame ass “Heat culture” bullshit?
They “cultured” their way to a title when D-Wade went on a historic run in the 2006 Finals.
“Cultured” their way to four straight Finals with LeBron and two titles with LeBron.
Oddly, they haven’t “cultured” a title since then.
It’s like having great players is what matters.
I’m gonna say it.
c.u.l.t.u.r.e.
As a rockets fan you can see this in guys like Jalen Green. Has all the physical gifts but is still trying to figure things out after playing no college ball and then playing on a terrible team for two years. Feel like his game would be so much better rounded and have a much better bag if he had a good college coach for two or more years rather than trying to work all that out now while on a team that’s trying to be competitive.
He makes a point
Easier to say when you’re picking 18th
Celtics brought in Pritchard as a 4 year college guy, he immediately knew his role. I think seasoned college guys will get more attention from champion teams in the 2nd apron from this draft onward
I fucking love Heat Culture.
Two of Miami’s homegrown core players are one and done players Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro. There are one and done guys like Tyrese Maxey, Jarrett Allen, and Lu Dort who have overperformed their draft positions. And when the All Stars are named I think Curry, Dame and maybe Butler will be the only ones who played at least 3 years in college.
Spoelstra keeping it real.
It’s the Peter Griffin mystery box.
You could have a proven 3&D wing with years of high-level experience, coaching and an NBA-ready physique…
…or you could have this 19 year old who could be anything, even a 3&D wing!
To be fair they have to have some differentiation when drafting where they are. They wouldn’t be taking four year players in the lottery I bet. There you are banking on maximum potential goal upside.
If only Wiseman played some decent amount of college games!!
Good for Jaquez, a true Bruin. Good for the Heat. I hope more 4 year players start getting drafted. Upside is great, but how often does potential pan out? How often do 5 star players flame out? Money for nothing… Good teams can afford to take a guy who’s a sure thing. Thanks for posting.
Christian Braun.
Wasn’t there for 4 years but @ Bulls fans impatient with PAW