Watch: Jaime Jaquez Jr. once beat Kenyon Martin Jr., Falcons star Drake London in high school dunk contest
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is one of the most promising young rookies drafted in the NBA this season. He's an all-around player who can pass, shoot, and take the ball strong inside the paint. However, what many fans didn't know about Jaquez Jr. is his ability to fly high and throw it down with some emphatic dunks.
Back in 2019, during their high school playing years, Jaquez Jr. participated in a dunk contest and competed against Philadelphia 76ers forward Kenyon Martin Jr. and the NFL's Atlanta Falcons star Drake London. Jaquez ultimately emerged winner with a between-the-legs dunk, a 360 alley-oop finish, and jumped over two grown men.
Witness Jaquez Jr.'s dunk highlights at timestamp 0:17:
NBA Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month: Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. is the latest addition to the Miami Heat squad as he was drafted by the team 18th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft. Despite not making it to the top 10 draft picks, Jaquez Jr. is undeniably one of the best rookies in the league so far. His tenacity on defense, his ability to sink baskets, and his strength to challenge defenders with his slashing helped Jaquez Jr. become the Eastern Conference's Rookie of the Month for November.
Looking at Jaquez Jr.'s numbers in November, he averaged 13.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game. It may not seem like much compared to Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama's numbers, but if we were to look at Jaime's efficiency, there's no denying what he's capable of on the hardwood.
Jaquez Jr. has been an effective shooter on both the field and the charity stripe. In November, he shot 87.5% from the free throw line and 53.2% from the field. The 22-year-old's efficiency on both ends of the floor was acknowledged by the Heat and he ultimately earned the minutes he deserved. The rookie averaged 29.1 minutes of play per game in November, helping Miami win 10 out of 15 games.
While all eyes are currently on the towering rookies Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama, Jaime Jaquez Jr. is someone fans shouldn't ignore. The NBA wouldn't have named him Rookie of the Month if there wasn't something special about what he was doing for the Heat. Given a little more time, Jaquez Jr. could establish himself as one of Miami's reliable guys soon.