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Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. has been busy early this offseason ‘getting my body and mind in tune'
The Miami Heat isn't even two months into its offseason yet, but it has already been an eventful one for forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. There have been basketball workouts with NBA skills trainer Chris Brickley in New York, there have been basketball workouts at Kaseya Center and there has also been some time spent as a member of the media. Jaquez is one of four NBA players who were selected to serve as media correspondents for this year's NBA Finals series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers. Jaquez took on that role on the NBA's social platforms for Sunday's Game 2 in Oklahoma City. 'It was a lot of fun,' Jaquez said of that experience during a Tuesday appearance to interact and take photos with young campers at Jr. Heat Basketball Camp at SLAM! Miami charter school. 'It gave me a different perspective on the media. I got to go check in on some of the meetings and how so much work gets put into broadcasting the NBA to the rest of the world. I think people don't really think about it. Not that they think that it's hard or easy, they just don't really get to see what it's like. And it was a great experience to talk to the people behind the cameras about how they put this whole production together to the world. For me to be a part of it for a day was really cool.' Jaquez even got an opportunity to be on the other side of interviews, asking Pacers and Thunder players questions during his short stint as a media correspondent. 'It was a lot more fun, I'll tell you that,' Jaquez said of being the one to ask questions instead of answer them. 'I tried to think of some good questions, some things that I know that I always get and are very common questions. So I tried to think outside the box and give some fun questions that I would like to answer.' But Jaquez has also been busy on the court in recent weeks after taking a brief break from basketball once the Heat was swept out of the first round of the playoffs in late April. 'When the season ended, I took some time away just to decompress, gather my thoughts, really get to a place of peace,' Jaquez, 24, said. 'Now I'm full steam ahead. I've been in the gym every single day, working on my mind, body, spirit, my jump shot, defense. Really just getting my body and mind in tune to get ready for this next season.' Jaquez has plenty to work on this offseason, as his production dipped across the board this past season after being named to the NBA's All-Rookie first team for his impressive work in the previous season. Jaquez averaged fewer points (8.6 per game this season compared to 11.9 per game last season) while shooting a worse percentage from the field (46.1% this season compared to 48.9% last season) and three-point range (31.1% this season compared to 32.2% last season) this regular season than last regular season. He also averaged 4.4 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.9 steals per game in 66 regular-season appearances (17 starts) in his second NBA season. Becoming a more reliable three-point shooter is among Jaquez's top priorities this offseason. Not only did Jaquez shoot just 31.1% on threes this past regular season, but NBA tracking stats say that 111 of his 119 three-point attempts this past regular season were either open or wide open (defender at least four feet away) with teams consistently helping off of him and daring him to take outside shots. Some of that developmental work came with Brickley in New York last month. But most of that work has come in the Heat's facilities in Miami in recent weeks and will come in Los Angeles later this offseason. 'Whenever I'm in New York, I always hit him up,' Jaquez said of working with Brickley. 'He's been a great trainer for so many guys throughout the NBA. He's got a great reputation and I've gotten to develop a relationship with him. I saw him actually in Miami during F1 and I told him I was going to be in New York and I let him know that we should get some work in. He's a great basketball mind, really personable guy, wants to help guys get better. Anytime I'm in New York, I always try to work with him.' Jaquez is also working to become a mentally stronger player after his shaky second NBA season eventually led to him dropping out of the Heat's rotation in the final weeks of the season. 'I'm working with a mental coach to try to just help myself become present in the moments, try to tune out all the noise and just really focus on what's important,' said Jaquez, who is due $3.9 million next season in the third year of his rookie contract. The coming weeks will bring the NBA Draft, free agency and likely plenty of trades around the league — a time that creates some uneasiness for players throughout the NBA because of all the roster changes that will happen. But on Tuesday, Jaquez found himself appreciative of the moment at hand at Jr. Heat Basketball Camp. 'It's always great,' Jaquez said after speaking and taking photos with young campers at Jr. Heat Basketball Camp at SLAM! Miami charter school. 'This is the next generation of hoopers, next generation of Heat fans. So it's always great to go and show your face and interact and let them know that we're real people. We're not just people that you see on TV, but you can come talk to us and give advice and be that person that they can look up to.'
USA Today
27-01-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Pat Connaughton/Blake Wesley NBA Tracker: Jan. 20-26
Former Notre Dame guard Blake Wesley had the opportunity of a lifetime this past week. He traveled with the San Antonio Spurs to Paris to play two games against the Indiana Pacers. He appeared in both games, and while he failed to score in either one, he did have three assists and a steal in the first game. Wesley also was the subject of a very prominent post we published this past week. We sat down for an interview with his parents Derrick and Leslie. Our thanks again to them for taking the time to do that. Back in the U.S., Pat Connaughton, Notre Dame's other active NBA player, got some playing time with the Milwaukee Bucks. He scored his only basket while also grabbing five rebounds and dishing out three assists Jan. 23 against the Miami Heat. He had one more rebound and two more assists Jan. 25 against the Los Angeles Clippers, bringing his weekly averages to 1.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists. Here is a gallery of both players from the past week: Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 23: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #11 of the Miami Heat is defended by… MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 23: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #11 of the Miami Heat is defended by Pat Connaughton #24 and Bobby Portis #9 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on January 23, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email Miami Heat v Milwaukee Bucks MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 23: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #11 of the Miami Heat is defended by… MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JANUARY 23: Jaime Jaquez Jr. #11 of the Miami Heat is defended by Pat Connaughton #24 and Bobby Portis #9 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the second half of a game at Fiserv Forum on January 23, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email NBA: Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks Jan 23, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) gets pressure from… Jan 23, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Miami Heat forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) gets pressure from Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (24) in the second quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email NBA: Miami Heat at Milwaukee Bucks Jan 23, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (24) takes a shot between… Jan 23, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (24) takes a shot between Miami Heat center Kel'el Ware (7) and forward Nikola Jovic (5) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email TOPSHOT-BASKET-FRA-VENUE TOPSHOT - San Antonio Spurs' French forward-centre Victor Wembanyama (4thL) pose with teammates San Antonio Spurs'… TOPSHOT - San Antonio Spurs' French forward-centre Victor Wembanyama (4thL) pose with teammates San Antonio Spurs' Sandro Mamukelashvili (L), Harrison Barnes, Malaki Branham, Zach Collins, Tre Jones and Blake Wesley during the inauguration of basketball courts in Le Chesnay, a south-western suburb of Paris, on January 21, 2025. (Photo by Thomas SAMSON / AFP) (Photo by THOMAS SAMSON/AFP via Getty Images) more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email NBA: Milwaukee Bucks at Los Angeles Clippers Jan 25, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the ball against… Jan 25, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; LA Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (2) shoots the ball against Milwaukee Bucks guard Pat Connaughton (24) in the first half at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email Indiana Pacers v San Antonio Spurs PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 25: Blake Wesley #14 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball… PARIS, FRANCE - JANUARY 25: Blake Wesley #14 of the San Antonio Spurs dribbles the ball against RayJ Dennis #10 of the Indiana Pacers during the fourth quarter at The Accor Arena on January 25, 2025 in Paris, France. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by) more Share Share this image gallery on Facebook on Twitter via text message via email
