Rising Heat star early favorite for massive NBA honor

Editorial Team
Rising Heat star early favorite for massive NBA honor image

Mar 31, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Miami Heat guard Tyler Herro (14) reacts with center Bam Adebayo (13), and guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. (11) during the third quarter against the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Miami Heat are surprising pundits with a better-than-expected 6-4 start to their 2025-26 season. And one key cog could reap the benefits. 

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Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald submits that third-season reserve small forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. Has emerged as an early favorite at nabbing a Sixth Man of the Year award. Previously, AllSportsPeople' own Mack Baltes floated Jaquez as being a prime candidate for the honor.

In his most recent tilt, the versatile, 6-foot-6 UCLA product scored 14 points (albeit on a lackluster 6-of-15 shooting from the field), pulled down 12 boards, and dished out seven dimes while helping the Heat put away the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, 136-131.

A stellar effort amid trying health circumstances

Jaquez did all that despite not having the green light to even suit up until mid-afternoon on the day of the bout. He has been grappling with a sprained ankle.

“Jaime at three o’clock was not cleared to play,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said. “I mentioned that to the team, and he put himself out there. He spent three hours just trying to get his ankle ready. He even skipped the walkthrough just to continue to get treatment. And then he got cleared after that, gave us everything he had.”

Through 10 games for Miami, the 24-year-old has been averaging a robust 17.1 points on a.574/.222/.771 slash line, 7.0 rebounds, 5.0 dimes, and 0.8 steals in just 29.5 minutes per.

Thanks in large part to production of Jaquez and backup power forward Nikola Jovic (who notched a team-most 29 points) and reserve guard Dru Smith (13 points), Miami's bench outscored Portland's, 63-33.

“We want to really take pride in being that energy booster for our team,” Jaquez said of the Miami bench's big day against Portland. “And so when we see the first unit, whether they’re going good or things are going slow, regardless, we want to just take that energy up to that next level.”

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