Jovic vs. Jokic? Won’t happen in Friday’s Heat-Nuggets matchup after Jovic sent to G League

Miami Heat rookie forward Nikola Jovic and Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic share similar names. Both are also from Serbia and played for Mega Basket in Serbia before they were drafted into the NBA.

But the 19-year-old Jovic has never met the 27-year-old Jokic. Even with the Heat taking on the Nuggets for the first time this season on Friday night at Ball Arena to kick off a five-game West Coast trip, they will remain strangers because Jovic was sent to the G League on Friday afternoon just hours before tipoff for more in-game reps with the Sioux Falls Skyforce.

“I don’t know him and I’m looking forward to just meeting him and saying hi to him and watching him play live,” Jovic said this week before learning he would not get that opportunity because of the Heat’s decision to send him to its developmental affiliate.

When Jokic entered the NBA, Jovic was 11 years old. So Jovic’s formative years have been spent watching Jokic dominate the league to win the NBA MVP award in each of the past two seasons.

“Just everything,” Jovic said when asked what Jokic represents in Serbia. “Basketball is everything. He’s the one. Two-time MVP. For anyone, it’s something big, especially for a country like ours. We have only seven million people. Our people believe in him, especially on the national team, which is a lot for us. We didn’t have luck in the last EuroBasket, but we’re looking forward to the World Cup and I feel like we can do something there.”

The possibility remains that Jovic and Jokic could end up as teammates on the Serbian national team down the road. For now, Jovic is simply a fellow countryman who’s an admirer of Jokic’s game.

While Jovic is a 6-10, 205-pound forward and Jokic is a 6-11 and 284-pound center, they both are above-average passers for their size and positions. Jokic is already widely considered as one of the best passing big man in NBA history.

“Only thing I’m really trying to learn from him is passing,” Jovic said. “We’re not the same type of player, but passing is something that you can always improve. My passing vision. I’m really looking to be as good as he is.”

Jovic has flashed intriguing potential in his limited NBA playing time, but he has yet to find a consistent role with the Heat as a rookie. He has averaged 5.5 points while shooting 40.6 percent from the field and 22.9 percent from three-point range, 2.1 rebounds and 0.7 assists per game in 15 appearances (eight starts) this season, with most of that playing time coming when the Heat has been depleted by injuries.

With the Heat sending Jovic to the G League on Friday for a third stint in the developmental league, he has averaged 7.6 points while shooting 14 of 55 (25.5 percent) from the field and 4 of 28 (14.3 percent) from three-point range, 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game in five previous appearances with the Skyforce this season.

Jovic has a long way to go to get to Jokic’s level on the basketball court, but just one letter separates Jovic’s name from Jokic’s. Jovic still doesn’t get annoyed when he’s reminded of that coincidence.

“No, I don’t get annoyed actually,” Jovic said with a grin. “I like it when people joke around with me about it, especially because it’s him. He’s a two-time MVP and it’s funny to me.”

BUTLER EXPLAINS

Heat star Jimmy Butler became the first Heat player in franchise history to finish a season as the NBA’s steals leader in 2020-21 and entered Friday ranked second in steals per game this season among those who have played more than 10 games.

Asked about his six steals in Wednesday’s victory over the Los Angeles Lakers — tied for the most by a Heat player this season — Butler credited former Chicago Bulls teammate Richard Hamilton.

“I think it’s always been a thing. But I think that that comes from Richard Hamilton, actually,” Butler said of his ability to rack up steals. “Rip taught me at a young age like, because I wasn’t that good whenever I came into the league and nobody wanted to pass me the ball. He always told me, ‘If you want to score and you want to get the ball, play good defense to get a steal and go get a layup or crash the boards and get an offensive rebound. Nobody is going to pass it to you, so you got to go get it.’”

Hamilton was Butler’s teammate with the Bulls in 2011-12 and 2012-13, the first two seasons of Butler’s NBA career.

“To this day, that sticks in my head like if I want to be able to shoot the ball, go get it and get an easy one,” Butler said. “Get a layup or get an offensive rebound.”

But Butler has found many other ways to score over the years. Now in his 12th NBA season, he entered Friday averaging 22 points per game while shooting a career-best 53.4 percent from the field this season.

INJURY REPORT; DEDMON IN PROTOCOLS

The Heat ruled out Dewayne Dedmon (health and safety protocols), Jovic (G League) Caleb Martin (left ankle sprain and left quadriceps strain), Victor Oladipo (left knee injury management) and Omer Yurtseven (left ankle surgery) for Friday’s road game against the Nuggets on the front end of the back-to-back.

Dedmon, who missed the last three games because of left foot plantar fasciitis and did not travel with the team to Denver for the start of the trip, is the first Heat player to miss a game this season because of protocols.

Butler, who is available for Friday’s game in Denver, is expected to miss Saturday’s matchup against the Jazz in Salt Lake City (9 p.m., Bally Sports Sun) as part of the team’s injury management plan for his right knee.