Chicago Bulls 2022 NBA Draft Profiles: Nikola Jovic

We’re only a few days out from the 2022 NBA Draft and CHGO is examining prospects who could be in the Chicago Bulls range with their 18th pick. Let’s look into Serbian forward, Nikola Jovic’s NBA Draft profile:

• Age on draft night: 19.02
• Measurables: HT: 6’11 | WS: 7’0.25
• Mega (Serbia): 12.0 pts | 4.8 reb | 3.6 ast | 0.7 stls
• Shooting splits: 41.4 FG% | 31.5 3P% | 71.8 FT%
• Projected range: Mid-20s

Here are my notes, including strengths, weaknesses or question marks, and potential fit with the Bulls should they take him at No. 18.

Strengths

Three-level scoring

• Creates space on step-backs with good handle, footwork combination
• Aggressive getting downhill off-the-bounce or against closeouts
• Creative finisher
• Bouncy
• Good feel, creative passing ability
• Transition playmaker as passer and scorer
• Good scorer and facilitator out of the mid-post
• Nice fadeaway jumper and counter moves —he’ll be able to post smaller guards on switches

Playmaking

• High feel, high IQ passer
• Always looking for cutters and weakside shooters
• Creative, accurate live-dribble passes

Off-ball improvements

• Timely cutter, good at floating into open space and making himself available
• Quick reads and good passing instincts
• Reads the floor well as a playmaker
• Great touch on his shot
• Improving as a catch-and-shoot player with Mega after being ball dominant most of his career

Question marks and weaknesses

Defense

• Really, really bad. All around. Bad.

Role and potential fit with Bulls

Jovic is talented enough as a scorer and playmaker and at 6’10, every team should be salivating at his potential. He has a smooth stroke that will be easy to get off against closeouts because of his size and length. He’ll immediately be able to exploit closeouts, attack the basket and either finish over the top or find the right shooter while the defense scrambles in rotation. Eventually, he will be able to shoulder some offensive initiation burden with his three-level scoring package, passing and size.

Jovic could easily go closer to the top 10, but he’s such a limited defender that he has been mocked around the 20s. It wouldn’t surprise me if he is gone by 18 or if he slides to the late-first. He could immediately provide shooting, size and passing to a Bulls team that needs all the above, and could easily be their best available option.

Jovic an exciting prospect with a lot of tools to play around with. It will be interesting to monitor his career and see how much he puts it together.

Here’s our video breakdown from our CHGO YouTube channel (which you should subscribe to)