Prospect Overview
Skilled three-level shot maker with tremendous size for a wing who has been productive in his first full season playing with Mega Mozzart’s senior team.
About Nikola Jovic
Nikola Jovic is a talented young shot maker whose ability to score from all over the floor has stood out at times as he’s transitioned to the professional level full time with Mega Mozzart (Serbia). Emerging as a prospect scoring 16 points and pulling down 8 rebounds at the 2019 Adidas U16 International All-Star Game, Jovic played primarily at the junior level until late in the 2020-21 Adriatic League season. After Mega Basket was eliminated for playoff contention, the England-born forward averaged 11.8 points and 5.5 rebounds over 24.7 minutes per game while shooting 40% from beyond the arc in his first taste of senior-level competition. Building on that momentum with a huge showing averaging 18.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.7 blocks over 31 minutes per game playing up a year at the 2021 FIBA U19 World Cup, he set a high bar coming into his first full season playing in the Adriatic League. Averaging 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists over 28.5 minutes per game off the bench and making his Serbian National Team debut as an 18-year old, Jovic continued his rise as a prospect.
• Measured standing 6’11 in shoes with a 7’0.25 wingspan and a 223-pound frame at the 2022 NBA Draft Combine, Jovic has excellent size for a wing as he’s continued to grow steadily into his late teens. Able to play above the rim in space, Jovic is nonetheless more skilled than especially explosive.
• Scoring in bunches some nights with promising footwork, touch, and instincts, Jovic was prolific in spurts offensively. Showing intriguing potential as a floor spacer but getting opportunities to handle the ball in the pick and roll and attack matchups from the post and the perimeter, his talent was apparent at times when his pull-up was falling. While he has room to get stronger, more comfortable using his frame against smaller defenders, and steadier with the ball to help him create higher percentage shots, his ability to score with touch from all over the floor and pass on the move at his size is certainly intriguing.
• Competing on the defensive end with more urgency as the year wore on, Jovic still has room to develop both on and off the ball. While he showed some instincts on the glass and chipping in as a rim protector in spurts, his consistency remains a work in progress.
Advanced Stats
• Providing spacing and looking to score opportunistically off the ball but also creating his own shot in a variety of ways and getting to play through his mistakes, Jovic filled a prominent role for Mega Basket offensively. The shotmaking versatility he flashed at the junior level translated in spurts and his instincts allowed him to thread impressive passes to shooters on the move as well suffering through some growing pains with turnovers.
• Getting shots up in a variety of ways, Jovic’s shots were split between catch and shoot jumpers, pull-ups, and finishing opportunities. Scoring 0.68 points per dribble jump shot [31st percentile], and 0.62 points per floater [27th percentile], the 19-year-old had some ups and downs scoring off the dribble but made tough shots with great touch regularly and stayed confident through his ups and downs.
• Scoring 1.11 points per catch and shoot jump shot in the half court [68th percentile], Jovic was pretty opportunistic off the ball making spot up jumpers at a very high level but was a bit less consistent shooting when running off screens. His mechanics leave significant room for optimism about his trajectory as a shot maker.
• Taking what opposing defenders gave him around the rim, he scored 1.13 points per shot around the rim [45th percentile] as he showed the ability to play above the rim in space but was still figuring out how to navigate traffic in his first full season at the professional level.
• Jovic often hunted shots, but also showed the ability to make the simple play out of ball screens and touch passes on the move with good instincts. Turnovers were an issue for him at times with room to become a more physical slasher and steady ball handler when looking to create his own shot.
Defensive Analysis
• Holding his own more frequently on the defensive end as the year wore on, Jovic is still early in his development on the defensive end. While he had some solid moments on the ball, he was more locked in off the ball, quick over screens, and more diligent inside some games than others.
• Flashing some instincts using his size to contest shots and tap rebounds to himself, his ability to do the little things as a team defender is a point of interest as he will face a steep learning curve as an individual defender.
— Profile by Synergy Sports
