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Kasparas Jakučionis

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Kasparas Jakučionis
Jakučionis at the 2024 U18 EuroBasket
No. 25 – Miami Heat
PositionPoint guard / shooting guard
LeagueNBA
Personal information
Born (2006-05-29) 29 May 2006 (age 19)
Vilnius, Lithuania
Listed height6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)
Listed weight200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
CollegeIllinois (2024–2025)
NBA draft2025: 1st round, 20th overall pick
Drafted byMiami Heat
Playing career2020–present
Career history
2020–2021Perlas Vilnius
2022–2024FC Barcelona
2022–2024→FC Barcelona B
2025–presentMiami Heat
Career highlights
Stats at NBA.com Edit this at Wikidata
Stats at Basketball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Lithuania
FIBA U16 EuroBasket
Gold medal – first place 2022 North Macedonia Team

Kasparas Jakučionis (born 29 May 2006) is a Lithuanian professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Early life and youth career

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Jakučionis was born in Vilnius and started playing basketball in the youth ranks of Perlas Vilnius, a team affiliated with Rytas Vilnius. In 2021, Jakučionis joined the youth ranks of FC Barcelona. In the 2022–23 season, Jakučionis alternated between Barcelona's junior team and the club's reserve team in Liga EBA. Jakučionis would be selected to the 2023–24 under-18 Euroleague All-Tournament Team.[1] He would also make his professional debut for the FC Barcelona first team in April 2023, in a Liga ACB game against Coviran Granada. Upon his debut, he became the third youngest player to play for FC Barcelona in Liga ACB.[2]

On 28 May 2024, Jakučionis committed to play college basketball for Illinois under Brad Underwood.[3][4] FC Barcelona retained the player's rights upon a possible return to Europe.[5]

College recruiting information
Name Hometown School Height Weight Commit date
Kasparas Jakučionis
G 		Vilnius, Lithuania FC Barcelona Bàsquet 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) 200 lb (91 kg) May 28, 2024 
Recruit ratings: 247Sports: 4/5 stars   On3: 4/5 stars   
Overall recruit ranking:    Rivals: 11    247Sports: 10    On3: 20
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, On3, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2024 Illinois Commits". Rivals.
  • "ESPN- Illinois Fighting Illini Men's Basketball Recruiting". ESPN.
  • "2024 Team Ranking". Rivals.
  • "Kasparas Jakučionis". 247Sports.
  • "Kasparas Jakučionis". On3.

College career

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Jakučionis made his college basketball debut on November 4, 2024, recording 11 points, seven assists, and five rebounds in 26 minutes in a win over Eastern Illinois, setting a record for the most assists in a season opener by a freshman.[6] Four days later, in his second game, he set a new record with 13 assists against SIU Edwardsville,[6] while also logging his first collegiate double-double with 12 points.[7] On December 16, Jakučionis earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors (alongside Dylan Harper) after scoring at least 20 points in five consecutive games and leading the team in scoring.[8][9] On January 6, 2025, he was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the second time (alongside Ace Bailey and Braden Smith) after leading the Fighting Illini to a 3–0 week, averaging a team-best 16 points per game.[10][11]

At the conclusion of his freshman season, Jakučionis was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman Team and earned Second-Team All-Big Ten honors. On April 14, he declared for the 2025 NBA Draft, foregoing his remaining college eligibility.[12][13]

Professional career

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On 25 June 2025, Jakučionis was selected by the Miami Heat with the 20th overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft.[14] On 1 July, the Heat signed Jakučionis to a reported four-year, $17.7 million contract.[15][16]

Career statistics

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Legend
  GP 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  PIR  Performance index rating
 Bold  Career high

College

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2024–25 Illinois 33 33 31.8 .440 .318 .845 5.7 4.7 .9 .3 15.0

EuroLeague

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Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG PIR
2023–24 Barcelona 1 0 1.0 1.000 — — 1.0 — — — 2.0 1.0
Career 1 0 1.0 1.000 — — 1.0 — — — 2.0 1.0

Domestic leagues

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Year Team League GP MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2020–21 Perlas Energija NKL 1 12.6 .333 — — — — 1.0 — 2.0
2022–23 FC Barcelona ACB 1 0.5 1.000 1.000 — — — — — 3.0
2023–24 FC Barcelona ACB 3 9.8 .667 .625 — 1.3 1.7 .3 — 7.0

Personal life

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Jakučionis is fluent in Lithuanian, English, and Spanish languages.[17] According to Jakučionis, his childhood hero in the NBA was LeBron James and his playing is mostly influenced by Šarūnas Jasikevičius.[18]

References

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  1. ^ "El azulgrana Jakucionis, en el quinteto ideal del ANGT". Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 26 May 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  2. ^ "Kasparas Jakucionis, el tercer debutant més jove del Barça a l'ACB". FC Barcelona (in Catalan). 19 April 2023. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  3. ^ Givony, Jonathan (28 May 2024). "Source: Lithuania's Kasparas Jakucionis commits to Illinois". ESPN.com. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
  4. ^ "Illinois Signs Jakucionis". fightingillini.com. 29 May 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2025.
  5. ^ "Jakucionis se marcha del Barça en busca del 'sueño americano'". Sport.es (in Spanish). 28 May 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2025.
  6. ^ a b Erik, Hall (20 March 2025). "Kasparas Jakucionis: 3 things to know about the Illinois Fighting Illini basketball guard". The Telegraph. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  7. ^ "'He plays to win': Jakucionis shows off NBA potential for Illini". The Champaign Room. 9 November 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  8. ^ "Jakucionis B1G Freshman of the Week". University of Illinois Athletics. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  9. ^ "Jakucionis named Big Ten Freshman of the Week". WCIA.com. 16 December 2024. Archived from the original on 2 January 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  10. ^ "Jakucionis Earns Second B1G Freshman of the Week Honor". University of Illinois Athletics. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Purdue, Illinois, Rutgers Score Men's Basketball Weekly Accolades". Big Ten Conference. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Illinois Freshman Star Kasparas Jakucionis Declares for NBA Draft". Sports Illustrated. 14 April 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Illini star freshman Jakucionis to enter NBA draft". ESPN. 14 April 2025. Retrieved 8 July 2025.
  14. ^ Chiang, Anthony (25 June 2025). "Heat keeps pick to select Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis at No. 20 in NBA Draft". Miami Herald. Archived from the original on 26 June 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  15. ^ "Heat sign Kasparas Jakučionis". NBA.com. 1 July 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  16. ^ Winderman, Ira (1 July 2025). "Heat sign first-round pick Kasparas Jakucionis to four-year, $17.7 million contract". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on 5 July 2025. Retrieved 5 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Sprendimą dėl rinktinės patvirtinęs K. Jakučionis – apie NBA lietuvius ir "Heat" kultūrą". lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). 27 June 2025. Retrieved 29 June 2025.
  18. ^ "K. Jakučionis atskleidė savo krepšinio Dievus – išskyrė JAV ir Lietuvos legendas". lrytas.lt (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 19 July 2025.
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