Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. shows taste for finer things

DETROIT – As he adjusts during this maiden season, taking on challenges such as attempting to break through the rookie wall amid the Miami Heat’s uneasy place in the NBA playoff race, Jaime Jaquez Jr. recognizes how it all is about finding the right combinations.

On and off the court.

During the Heat’s recent western swing, veteran power forward Kevin Love began canvassing teammates about the possible trip to wine country ahead of their game against the Sacramento Kings.

“We were on the bus going to shootaround against the Pelicans and then K-Love came in and said, ‘Who wants to go to Napa Valley?’ ” Jaquez said. “Hands shot up, I was ready to go. Then all our hands went up, and we were all ready to go.”

Little did anyone know at the time that in addition to his passion for basketball, Jaquez has a less public passion.

“I would say I’m on the way to being a wine connoisseur,” the 23-year-old wing out of UCLA said. “One of my goals in life after I’m retired, I have a lot of ’em, is to be a sommelier in the restaurant business.”

Who exactly saw that coming from the No. 18 pick in last June’s draft, a Southern California native?

Actually, teammates hardly are surprised about anything when it comes to someone they view beyond his years both on and off the court.

Moments such as those in Napa are what have made this apprenticeship for Jaquez so unique.

Center Bam Adebayo said it has been the Jaquez off the court that has proven most eye opening.

“I would say how he has gelled with us off the court,” said Adebayo, with the Heat opening a four-game trip Friday night against the Detroit Pistons at Little Caesars Arena. “We’re going to be in the gym, we’re going to work out, we’re going to find ways to make each other successful on the court.

“But off the court, I believe him gelling with us as a youngster, coming around, just coming from four years of college to a different way of living going from UCLA to Miami, it’s good for him to come in and be willing to experience all of that. We’ve got guys around him, we build around him, and we embrace him.”

On the court, Jaquez also has worked to create pairings than endure, just as he studies his Pinot, Riesling and Merlot combinations.

“He’s a sponge,” teammate Caleb Martin said. “He’s listening; he’s learning. We’re throwing a lot of things at him and he’s doing a great job. And also trying to be himself in the mix at the same time is really tough.

 

“But he’s been handling