When Kasparas Jakuu010dionis fell into the Miami Heat's lap at the No. 20 pick of the 2025 NBA draft, it felt like they'd suddenly scratched off a jackpot prize. Beyond the obvious perks of getting a prospect who was essentially universally regarded as a lottery pick well outside of the actual lottery, his penchant for playmaking made him appear as an obvious—and immediate—need-filler.
Perhaps things still play out that way, and the pick is, in fact, remembered as being transformational by hoops historians. Then again, his shaky start on the summer circuit is, if nothing else, a reminder that first-year players who make an immediate impact are the exception, not the expectation.