Miami Heat rookie Nikola Jovic will miss three-to-four weeks due to a lower back stress reaction injury. Jovic was shut down after playing for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the G League on December 31.
The Heat drafted Jovic with the 27th pick in the first round of the 2022 NBA Draft. In 15 NBA games (eight starts), the 19-year-old has averaged 5.5 points in 13.6 minutes per game.
In six games with the Skyforce, Jovic has averaged 7.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 29.2 minutes per game. Miami drafted the 6-foot-11 forward as a long-term project. However, Jovic has had to spend more time with the Heat than planned in the early season, due to injuries in Miami’s frontcourt.
