Jaime Jaquez Jr. (/ˈhaɪmɛ ˈhɑːkɛz/ HY-meh HAH-kez;[1][2] born February 18, 2001) is a Mexican-American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins of the Pac-12 Conference. Jaquez was named a consensus second-team All-American and voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year as a senior in 2023. He earned three All-Pac-12 selections, including first-team honors twice. Jaquez was also a two-time member of the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team. He was selected by the Heat in the first round of the 2023 NBA draft with the 18th overall pick. He is nicknamed ”Juan Wick”[3][4] for his Mexican heritage and perceived resemblance to John Wick.
![]() Jaquez Jr. with UCLA in 2021 | |
No. 11 – Miami Heat | |
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Position | Small forward / shooting guard |
League | NBA |
Personal information | |
Born | Irvine, California, U.S. | February 18, 2001
Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
Listed weight | 225 lb (102 kg) |
Career information | |
High school | Camarillo (Camarillo, California) |
College | UCLA (2019–2023) |
NBA draft | 2023: 1st round, 18th overall pick |
Selected by the Miami Heat | |
Playing career | 2023–present |
Career history | |
2023–present | Miami Heat |
Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Stats at NBA.com | |
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Early life and high school career
editJaquez is the son of Angela (née Sather) and Jaime Sr.,[5][6] who met while playing basketball at Concordia University.[6] Jaquez is the third generation of his family to have played college basketball; his paternal grandfather, Ezequiel, who came to California with his family from Mexico as a child, played at Ventura Community College and Northern Arizona University.[7]
Jaquez was born in Irvine, California, and has a younger brother Marcos and younger sister Gabriela. Jaquez grew up in Camarillo and attended Camarillo High School. As a freshman, he averaged 15.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.6 steals per game and led the team to a 25–7 record and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) semifinals. As a sophomore, Jaquez earned all-Ventura County second-team honors, averaging 24.1 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.6 steals per game, despite missing 12 games with an ankle injury.[8]
Jaquez averaged 31.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 2.1 steals per game as a senior and helped the team finish 25–4 and win its first Coastal Canyon League title.[9] He earned first-team All-CIF Southern Section honors and finished his high school career with 2,653 points.[10] Jaquez broke the school single-game scoring record with a 54-point outing against Royal High School.[11] Jaquez was also a pitcher on the high school baseball team.[9]
College career
editJaquez was recruited to the University of California, Los Angeles, by then-Bruins' coach Steve Alford,[12] who offered him a scholarship at the end of his junior year. However, Alford was fired in 2018, replaced later by Mick Cronin, who had recruited Jaquez while coaching at Cincinnati. Jaquez did not seriously pursue another school, and remained committed to UCLA.[13] He became a starter for the Bruins during the Maui Jim Maui Invitational in November 2019,[10] after he scored 17 points and had 12 rebounds in a win against Chaminade on November 26.[6] On December 1, he scored a season-high 18 points in a 93–64 win over San Jose State.[14] He scored 18 points on February 27, 2020, and hit the game-winning three-pointer with 0.6 seconds remaining in a 75–72 win over Arizona State.[15] As a freshman, Jaquez averaged 8.9 points and 4.8 rebounds per game. He was named honorable mention Pac-12 All-Freshman team.[16]
On February 18, 2021, Jaquez scored 25 points on his 20th birthday in a 74–60 win over Arizona, the Bruins' fifth straight in its rivalry with the Wildcats.[17] For the season, he was a second-team All-Pac-12 selection and was named to the Pac-12 All-Defensive Team.[18] In UCLA's First Four play-in game of the 2021 NCAA tournament, he led the Bruins in scoring with 27 points in a 86–80 overtime win against Michigan State.[19][20] UCLA advanced to the Final Four, losing to Gonzaga.[21]
In 2021–22, Jaquez was restricted by ankle injuries throughout most of the season.[22][23] He suffered from synovitis in one ankle and began wearing braces on both ankles as a preventative measure.[24] He bounced back from a three-game stretch in mid-February 2022 in which he scored a combined 13 points.[23] On February 28, Jaquez scored a career-high 30 points in a 77–66 win over Washington.[22] In the following game, he scored 27 points in the regular-season finale against USC, helping UCLA end its five-game losing streak in their crosstown rivalry with the Trojans.[25] He was named the Pac-12 Player of the Week after averaging 28.5 points on 64 percent shooting along with 7.5 rebounds, as the Bruins clinched the No. 2 seed in the Pac-12 tournament.[26] Jaquez was named to the All-Pac-12 first team and was voted again to the conference's defensive team.[27] He was one of five finalists for the Julius Erving Award, given to the top small forward in the country.[28] In the second round of the 2022 NCAA tournament, he scored 15 points in a 72–56 win over Saint Mary's, but exited the game and did not return after spraining his right ankle with seven minutes remaining in the second half.[24][29] He was averaging 20.5 points in his last eight games, with the Bruins going 7–1.[30] The stretch coincided with his being able to resume practicing,[30] while UCLA's leading scorer, Johnny Juzang, was in a scoring slump.[24] Jaquez recovered to play 38 minutes in the following game against North Carolina in the Sweet Sixteen, but the Bruins lost 73–66. He scored 10 points, shooting 1-for-11 in the second half and missing his final nine shots.[31][32] Amid the injuries, Jaquez's 3-point shooting dropped to 27.6 percent. Along with needing surgery in April to remove bone spurs from his right ankle, he decided against declaring for the NBA draft,[13] and returned to UCLA for his senior year.[33]
For the second straight season, Jaquez was named a finalist for the Julius Erving Award in 2022–23.[34] On February 4, 2023, he had a game-high 24 points and a career-high 15 rebounds in a 76–52 win over Washington State.[35] That month, he scored late baskets in multiple games to help lead the team to victories, including seven points in 3+1⁄2 minutes as the Bruins secured a win over Utah.[36] He led UCLA to their first Pac-12 regular season title since 2013.[37] The Bruins received a No. 2 seed in the 2023 NCAA tournament. In the opener, Jaquez had 17 points, eight rebounds, and a career-high five steals in a 86–53 rout over No. 15-seed UNC Asheville.[38] Losing two starters, Adem Bona and Jaylen Clark, due to injuries, UCLA suffered a 79-76 loss to Gonzaga in Sweet Sixteen.[39] For the season, Jaquez averaged 17.8 points and 8.2 rebounds.[21] He was named a consensus second-team All-American,[40] and received the Lute Olson Award as the college player of the year.[21] Jaquez was voted the Pac-12 Player of the Year, becoming the first Bruin to win since Kevin Love in 2008 and the first UCLA senior to capture the award since Ed O'Bannon in 1995.[41] He also earned his second consecutive first-team all-conference selection.[37] After the season, Jaquez declared for the draft, forgoing the extra year of eligibility that was available due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He ended his career ranked eighth in UCLA history in career scoring (1,802) and career steals (178), and ninth in total games played (134).[42]
Professional career
editConsidered a borderline first-round pick after college, Jaquez was invited to the green room of the 2023 NBA draft. He was selected by the Miami Heat with the eighteenth overall pick, the only Pac-12 player selected in the first round. He was the first UCLA senior selected in the first round since Darren Collison in 2009.[43] On July 1, Jaquez officially signed with the Heat.[44] Shortly after, he joined Miami for the 2023 Summer League,[45] but played just two games before being sidelined with a shoulder injury.[46]
Jaquez began the 2023–24 regular season on a minutes restriction following a preseason groin injury.[47] On October 28, 2023, Jaquez made his first career start when he and second-year player Nikola Jović entered the lineup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, filling in for the absence of veterans Jimmy Butler and Kevin Love.[48][49] Against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 8, Jaquez played the entire fourth quarter and made a game-clinching 3-pointer to extend Miami's lead from three to six with 18.4 seconds left in a 108–102 win.[50] In the following game with Butler and Tyler Herro unavailable, he made his third start of the season, finishing with a then career high of 20 points in 39 minutes in a 117–109 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[51] On December 4, Jaquez was named the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in October/November. It marks the 10th time a Miami Heat rookie has won the honor and the fifth player to do so, joining Caron Butler (four times), Kendrick Nunn (three times), Josh Richardson and Michael Beasley.[52] On December 25, Jaquez put up a career-high 31 points along with 10 rebounds in a 119–113 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.[53] On January 4, Jaquez earned his second consecutive Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for games played in December.[54]
Jaquez was selected to the 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend's Rising Stars Challenge and the Slam Dunk Contest.
National team career
editJaquez played for the Mexican national team as a Mexican-American dual citizen in the 2019 Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.[3][10]
Career statistics
editGP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA
editRegular season
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023–24 | Miami | 75 | 20 | 28.2 | .489 | .322 | .811 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .3 | 11.9 |
Career | 75 | 20 | 28.2 | .489 | .322 | .811 | 3.8 | 2.6 | 1.0 | .3 | 11.9 |
Play-in
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Miami | 2 | 1 | 28.5 | .519 | .429 | .833 | 5.5 | 4.0 | .5 | .0 | 18.0 |
Career | 2 | 1 | 28.5 | .519 | .429 | .833 | 5.5 | 4.0 | .5 | .0 | 18.0 |
Playoffs
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2024 | Miami | 4 | 4 | 30.6 | .404 | .231 | .857 | 3.3 | 3.0 | .8 | .5 | 12.8 |
Career | 4 | 4 | 30.6 | .404 | .231 | .857 | 3.3 | 3.0 | .8 | .5 | 12.8 |
College
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019–20 | UCLA | 31 | 23 | 26.6 | .454 | .313 | .761 | 4.8 | 1.4 | 1.4 | .4 | 8.9 |
2020–21 | UCLA | 32 | 32 | 34.9 | .486 | .394 | .655 | 6.1 | 1.7 | 1.2 | .7 | 12.3 |
2021–22 | UCLA | 34 | 34 | 30.5 | .472 | .276 | .761 | 5.7 | 2.3 | 1.1 | .3 | 13.9 |
2022–23 | UCLA | 37 | 37 | 33.2 | .481 | .317 | .770 | 8.2 | 2.4 | 1.5 | .6 | 17.8 |
Career | 134 | 126 | 31.4 | .475 | .328 | .737 | 6.3 | 2.0 | 1.3 | .5 | 13.4 |
Source:[55]
Personal life
editJaquez's sister Gabriela, who shared MVP honors at the 2022 McDonald's All-American Girls Game,[7] committed to joining the UCLA women's basketball team as part of its 2022–23 freshman class. In 2024, Gabriela joined the UCLA Bruins softball team to provide depth as they made a run in the 2024 Women's College World Series.[56] His brother Marcos became a defensive lineman for Camarillo High's football team.[24]
Jaquez is of Mexican descent through his father, and Norwegian descent through his mother.[57]
References
edit- ^ "Inside the HEAT: Jaime Jaquez Jr" (video). youtube.com. November 10, 2023. Event occurs at 280 seconds.
- ^ "Inside the HEAT: Jaime Jaquez Jr" (video). youtube.com. November 10, 2023. Event occurs at 736 seconds.
- ^ a b Chazaro, Alan (December 7, 2023). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. on Becoming the Breakout Rookie of This NBA Season". GQ. Retrieved January 2, 2024.
- ^ https://www.si.com/nba/2023/11/30/miami-heat-jaime-jaquez-jr-nickname-juan-wick [bare URL]
- ^ Rosehart, Ben (November 1, 2022). "CUI Excited For Rare Opportunity to Play At UCLA". CUI Golden eagles. Retrieved November 9, 2023.
- ^ a b c Bolch, Ben (November 28, 2019). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. giving Mick Cronin what he wants for UCLA's rebuild". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ a b Medcalf, Myron (March 3, 2023). "The third-generation basketball legacy of UCLA's Gabriela and Jaime Jaquez Jr". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 3, 2023.
- ^ "Jaime Jaquez Jr". USA Basketball. Archived from the original on April 22, 2022. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ a b Ledin, Loren (March 16, 2019). "Camarillo's Jaime Jaquez Jr. is The Star's Boys Basketball Player of the Year". Ventura County Star. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c Tay, Jared (February 28, 2020). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. hopes to make familia proud, aims to inspire future Latino players". The Daily Bruin. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ Gomez, Eric (July 31, 2019). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. eyes hoop dreams at UCLA, Mexico, PanAms". ESPN. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ Gleeson, Seth (April 2, 2021). "'Making two countries proud' UCLA's Jaime Jáquez Jr. playing for both Mexican and American heritages". USA Today. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ a b Davis, Seth (September 30, 2022). "UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. understands what it takes to win: 'Half the battle is wanting it more'". The Athletic. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
- ^ "Jaquez, Hill lead UCLA to 93–64 win over San Jose State". ESPN. Associated Press. December 1, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ Vanoni, Maggie (February 27, 2020). "Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s shot lifts UCLA men's basketball into first-place tie in Pac-12". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ "Factoids on UCLA Hoops Heading into Pac-12 Tourney". 247 Sports. March 11, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
- ^ "UCLA beats Arizona 74-60 to complete sweep of Wildcats". ESPN.com. AP. February 18, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2021.
- ^ Fattal, Tarek (March 9, 2021). "UCLA PG Tyger Campbell earns Pac-12 first-team honors". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved March 10, 2021.
- ^ "UCLA Surges Late to Save Season and Defeat Michigan State in First Four Thriller" Los Angeles Times. March 18, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
- ^ "UCLA beats Michigan St 86-80 in overtime in First Four game". CBSSports.com. AP. March 19, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
- ^ a b c Bolch, Ben (April 6, 2023). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. declares for the NBA draft, will forgo year of eligibility". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ a b Bolch, Ben (February 28, 2022). "Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s career-high 30 points power No. 17 UCLA past Washington". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 1, 2022.
- ^ a b Fattal, Tarek (March 22, 2022). "Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s injury has UCLA preparing two game plans for UNC". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Bolch, Ben (March 23, 2022). "How Jaime Jaquez Jr. became the UCLA Bruins' toughest player". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 24, 2022.
- ^ "No. 17 UCLA beats No. 16 USC 75-68, finishes 2nd in Pac-12". ESPN.com. AP. March 5, 2022. Retrieved March 6, 2022.
- ^ "Pac-12 Men's Basketball Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - March 7, 2022". Pac-12 Conference. March 7, 2022. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ Kartje, Ryan (March 8, 2022). "UCLA's Johnny Juzang, USC's Isaiah Mobley among All-Pac-12 picks for Bruins, Trojans". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ Seals, Bill (March 3, 2022). "Bruins take on the Trojans in a critical conference showdown". Culver City Observer. Retrieved March 8, 2022.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (March 19, 2022). "UCLA defeats St. Mary's to return to the Sweet 16 for the second straight year". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 19, 2022.
- ^ a b Thamel, Pete (March 25, 2022). "UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. hopeful for matchup vs. North Carolina despite sprained ankle". ESPN.com. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (March 25, 2022). "UCLA's March Madness run ends in heartbreaking Sweet 16 loss to North Carolina". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ Pells, Eddie (March 25, 2022). "If the shoe fits: Love leads Carolina over UCLA into Elite 8". Associated Press. Retrieved March 26, 2022.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (April 18, 2022). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. will return to UCLA in hopes of winning a national title". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
- ^ "Jaquez Jr. Among Five Finalists for Julius Erving Award". UCLA Athletics. March 8, 2023. Retrieved March 15, 2023.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (February 4, 2023). "Jaime Jaquez Jr. powers No. 9 UCLA in a get-well rout of Washington State". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (February 24, 2023). "Why UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. is in race for Pac-12 player of year". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
- ^ a b Fattal, Tarek (March 7, 2023). "UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. named Pac-12 Player of the Year". Los Angeles Daily News. Retrieved March 8, 2023.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (March 16, 2023). "UCLA dodges upset trend, opens NCAA tournament with rout of UNC Asheville". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (March 23, 2023). "Jubilation turns into heartbreak as UCLA loses to Gonzaga again in NCAA tournament". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
- ^ "Pac-12 Men's Basketball Weekly Rundown - March 15, 2023" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. March 15, 2023. Retrieved March 16, 2023.
- ^ "2022-23 Pac-12 Men's Basketball All-Conference honors and Annual Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva" (Press release). Pac-12 Conference. March 7, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2023.
- ^ "UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. declares for NBA draft". Associated Press. April 6, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2023.
- ^ Bolch, Ben (June 22, 2023). "UCLA's Jaime Jaquez Jr. drafted No. 18 by Miami Heat in 'surreal' moment". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 23, 2023.
- ^ Sanchez, Noel (July 4, 2023). "UCLA Basketball: Heat Officially Sign Ex-Bruin Jaime Jaquez Jr., Complicating Damian Lillard Trade Options". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
- ^ Bartilotta, Joel (July 3, 2023). "California Classic Summer League: Jaquez Jr., Heat dispatch Lakers". RotoWire. Retrieved July 5, 2023 – via NBA.com.
- ^ Winderman, Ira (October 16, 2023). "ASK IRA: Will injuries have Heat's Jaquez, Jovic on the outs at the start of season?". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ Winderman, Ira (October 29, 2023). "Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. 'Not a regular rookie'". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ Winderman, Ira (October 28, 2023). "Heat fail to measure up, fall 106-90 in Minnesota as Butler, Love sit". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ "Heat's Jaime Jaquez: Starting against Wolves". CBS Sports. October 28, 2023. Retrieved October 29, 2023.
- ^ Chiang, Anthony (November 9, 2023). "Heat rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr. continues to impress, earn late-game trust. Also, Bam from midrange". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ Chiang, Anthony (November 12, 2023). "No Butler, no Herro, no Martin, no problem. Takeaways from Heat's short-handed win over Hawks". Miami Herald. Retrieved November 12, 2023.
- ^ "Jaime Jaquez Jr. Named KIA Eastern Conference Rookie Of The Month". NBA. December 4, 2023. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
- ^ Weinberger, Zachary (December 25, 2023). "3 Heat takeaways from the win vs. Sixers on Christmas Day". ClutchPoints. Retrieved December 25, 2023.
- ^ "JThe Numbers Behind Jaime Jaquez Jr.'s December KIA NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month Selection". NBA. January 4, 2024. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
- ^ "Jaime Jaquez Jr. College Stats". Sports Reference. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ Nguyen, Thuc Nhi. "Why UCLA basketball star Gabriela Jaquez joined the Bruins' softball team". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ Winderman, Ira. "Heat's Jaime Jaquez Jr. laughing along with 'Juan Wick' nickname, as a proud Mexiwegian". South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- UCLA Bruins bio
- USA Basketball bio