Heat’s Nikola Jovic talks busy summer, why he’s ‘more ready,’ high school graduation and more

(Check back throughout the week for more Heat content to preview the start of training camp.)

Most players around the NBA have ramped up their workouts this month in preparation for the start of training camp. But Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic is not one of them.

In fact, Jovic is just trying to find some time to rest after a busy summer that included weeks of summer league action with the Heat before taking part in weeks of competitive games in the FIBA Basketball World Cup with the Serbian national team.

This was all part of Jovic’s offseason plan after spending most of his rookie season in the NBA sidelined by a back injury. His final regular-season appearance as a rookie came on Dec. 28.

“It was important because at first my vision was to go to Serbia and help the team as much as I could,” Jovic said when asked about the importance of this offseason. “I really wanted to see where I was at the moment, how good I was against our guys because I grew up watching them and sometimes I felt like I wanted to be like them. So I really wanted to see where I was at the moment against them.

“Of course, I was all in on just working and trying to get better. It came out great. I played a lot, which I don’t think anybody expected me to play that much and have that kind of role. But coaches believed in me and I did some great stuff for the team, so I felt great. It was really important for me just to keep playing.”

In a starting role for Serbia, Jovic averaged 10.1 points, three rebounds and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 56.6 percent from the field and 11 of 26 (42.3 percent) from beyond the arc during the country’s eight-game World Cup run in the Philippines that ended with a silver medal.

Jovic’s potential and growth flashed this summer as a 20-year-old with an intriguing combination of size and skill at 6-foot-11.

Next up for Jovic is the start of his second NBA training camp. The Heat is scheduled to hold its annual media day at Kaseya Center on Oct. 2 before opening training camp at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton on Oct. 3.

Here’s the rest of the Miami Herald’s conversation with Jovic ahead of his second NBA season:

Before the World Cup, you played for the Heat in summer league in July. How do you feel that went for you compared to your first summer league?

“I felt a lot better. I felt amazing, especially because coach Caron Butler knew how much I worked. So he told me I needed to show people how much I worked. The first three games, I felt amazing. Then an injury happened, which I think the same thing happened in my first summer league the year before. I just didn’t want to sit out. So I told them, ‘I’ll play no matter what.’ I need to play. As soon as I found out the injury was not that serious, I told them that I wanted to play. That last game I played terrible, but I just wanted to play through it. I didn’t want to sit out any more.”

How is your back feeling after all the games you played this offseason?

“I feel great. My back injury was not easy at all. I had to deal with it even off the basketball court. It was really serious. I just couldn’t go anymore. But I feel great now. I didn’t miss a practice with the national team, played all the games.”

Did this summer of work give you confidence that you’re past the back injury?

“I’m happy about it. I know I worked a lot and I’m just happy waking up and not feeling the pain anymore. The good thing is also my head was a little bit messed up when I first came back from that injury because every time I stepped on the court, I didn’t know if it was going to hurt. This summer I just stopped thinking about it.”

One of your goals this offseason was to continue to add weight. Where are you at entering your second NBA season?

“I think last year when I came to camp I was 217 pounds. I think now I’m at 234. I was even 240 at the end of last season. But of course, I lost weight this offseason because I’ve been playing a lot.”

Are you taller? Have you reached 7 feet yet?

“I don’t know. Some people say I am. But I haven’t checked. I don’t think I’m 7 feet with shoes yet.”

Which part of your game has improved the most this summer?

“I would say my three-point shot, for sure. I just gained more confidence in it. I always knew I was a good shooter. I just felt like I needed confidence. My national team helped me a lot. They told me that every time I’m open, I should shoot. I really embraced that role of being a spot-up shooter or however you want to call it. I was really shooting a high percentage. I hope that can translate here so I can shoot it a higher percentage.”

Have you made changes to your shooting mechanics over the past year to get to this point?

“Through the whole year last year, I worked with Heat coaches with my mechanics and getting everything right. I really want to thank them on that because they were the ones who were actually trying to make my shot perfect. I was injured and not playing that much, so I didn’t feel it in the game. The first time I got a chance, I really knew I could shoot and I was just confident. I was working a lot on the shot this year even though nobody knows and nobody sees me work out that much.”

Do you feel like you’re better prepared mentally and physically to play a bigger role this season?

“For sure, for sure. I’m sure I’m more ready. More ready mentally and physically. The shot also is going to help me a lot. We have some great players that dominate the paint like Jimmy [Butler] and Bam [Adebayo]. If you get a wide open three, they want you to make it. That’s why you have guys like Max [Strus] and Gabe [Vincent], Duncan [Robinson], K-Love (Kevin Love) who always are going to make shots and they needed to be great to be where we were last year. It’s something we need and it’s something I’m trying to just think about all the time and be ready and confident. Because when I get it, I know they want me to make it.”

How nice was it to have Team USA assistant coach and Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra in the Philippines with you during the World Cup?

“It was. He was actually watching the quarterfinals and semifinals. He was near our bench. When I turned around and saw him, I was just happy. After almost every game, he would send me a message of what he thinks and just telling me to keep going. I felt that connection even though maybe I didn’t see him every day.”

What did you learn about yourself this offseason?

“I feel like when we went to the Finals this year with the Heat, I maybe questioned myself. Can I make it to that level? Can I play the hardest competition in the world? Playing in the World Cup and being in the final showed me I can actually play in the big games like that, big tournaments like that. I just got more confidence. I know I can play and that’s probably the most important thing I learned about myself. You always have doubts and people are going to doubt you. Everybody questions themselves sometimes and I always questioned whether I’m good enough to play in this type of an atmosphere and you have this many people looking at you. I feel like I’m ready to do something now after this summer.”

Did the busy offseason help distract you from all the Damian Lillard trade speculation involving the Heat?

“Yeah, it did. It did help me for sure. You just concentrate on other things. I was just so concentrated on basketball there that I didn’t have time to think about what’s going to happen. It’s a business. So what happens happens. But of course, right now when I’m [in Miami] and more people talk about it, it’s different than when I was there and just playing and being in the game all the time.”

Finally, have you graduated high school yet?

“Yeah, I did. [Laughs]”

When did you graduate?

“It was right when I came from the World Cup. We had a big ceremony to celebrate the World Cup. The day after that, I went to school to finish. It was basically two days after the World Cup ended.”

How did you celebrate your graduation?

“I had a great family lunch. I celebrated with my family.”

What did you do with the diploma?

“I have it on my phone.”