Inside The Heat

Miami Heat Take UCLA Guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. With 18th Pick

Last year UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez was the Pac-10 Player of the Year and a second-team All-American

Shandel Richardson

Miami Heat Take UCLA Guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. With 18th Pick
Miami Heat Take UCLA Guard Jaime Jaquez Jr. With 18th Pick /
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The Miami Heat selected UCLA guard Jaime Jaquez Jr., with the No. 18 pick in Thursday's NBA Draft. 

The 6-foot-6, 225-pound Jaquez was the Pac-10 Player of the Year and a second-team All-American last year after averaging 17.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists while shooting 48 percent.

"I think he is the perfect player for the Heat," NBA TV analyst Andy Katz said before the draft. "He is a baller, he is a winner at every level for UCLA on both sides of the court. I think he fits perfect for [Heat coach Erik Spoelstra] and the Heat. He would come in right away and contribute."

The Heat chose Jaquez despite Villanova forward Cam Whitmore surprisingly still being available. Most mock drafts had Whitmore going in the Top 10. 

"He's just one of the guys that knows how to play," NBA TV analyst Brendan Haywood. "I had the privilege of calling one of his NCAA Tournament games. You watch how he dominates. Whether it's pick and roll, he understands how to post up, get fouls, very smart basketball player, hard worker, nothing's ever been given to him and he's been coached hard at UCLA. He'll have no problem getting coached by coach Erik Spoelstra so I think it would be an excellent pick." 

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Shandel Richardson covers the Miami Heat for Inside The Heat.

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Shandel Richardson
SHANDEL RICHARDSON

Shandel has covered the NBA since 2010, with previous stops at The Athletic and South Florida Sun-Sentinel.  He has covered six NBA Finals, one Super Bowl, the NCAA basketball tournament. He has also been a beat writer for the Miami Hurricanes and contributed on every major beat in South Florida since 2003, including the Miami Dolphins and Miami Marlins. He can also be read in the Sportsbook Review for gambling coverage from around the NBA. A native of Bloomington, Illinois, Shandel attended Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. He's also worked for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Kansas City Star.  TWITTER: @ShandelRich EMAIL: shandelrich@gmail.com You can subscribe to our YouTube channel here Follow all of our Miami Heat coverage on Facebook here

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