Former Hawaii hoopster Jankovic dropped by Heat
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Miami Heat forward Stefan Jankovic poses for a photo during the team’s media day, Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, in Miami.
Former Hawaii basketball forward Stefan Jankovic took Monday’s news of his waiver from the Miami Heat in stride.
Jankovic, who played only in one preseason game with the Heat, now must decide between accepting an assignment to Miami’s D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls, S.D., or playing pro overseas.
“My luck of warm weather seems to be coming to an end,” Jankovic messaged the Honolulu Star-Advertiser on Monday night.
He was released so the Heat could sign center Vashil Fernandez to their 20-man preseason roster. Miami must narrow its roster to 15 for the NBA regular season, which begins Oct. 25.
The 2015-16 Big West Player of the Year had an ill-timed right foot sprain just before fall training camp, limiting his participation in team drills. Jankovic did not play in the Heat’s first three preseason games, and went scoreless in the last four minutes of Miami’s 108-100 win at San Antonio on Friday.
He has a $100,000 guarantee on his partially guaranteed contract, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel, which reported Jankovic will likely opt to join the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
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“We’ll see. I got some time now to make a decision,” Jankovic wrote to the Star-Advertiser. “I was actually thinking of coming to Hawaii next week for a couple days before I decide what to do.”
Europe is his likely destination if he does not play in the D-League.
The 6-foot-11 Jankovic helped UH to its first NCAA Tournament victory. He latched on with the Heat’s summer league squad and was signed through the preseason.
In a video interview with the Sun Sentinel, Heat coach Eric Spoelstra said Monday: “Stef, we spent a lot of time developing him this summer, summer league and a couple months after that. It’s unfortunate he sprained his ankle, wasn’t able to participate too much in training camp before that. Now will come the next decision, and that’s really in his ballpark, in his hands right now. But we’d like to continue the relationship with him.”
UH coach Eran Ganot still has high hopes for Jankovic.
“Nothing’s changed,” Ganot said after UH’s practice. “He’s an intelligent young man with a bright future.”
18 responses to “Former Hawaii hoopster Jankovic dropped by Heat”
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NCAA ban on this years college playoffs; sprained foot restricting his ability to show what he got; being dropped by Heat to make room for a better player?, I don’t call that, good luck.
Wouldn’t he make better money playing for European club?
Seems like foot sprains are so common in basketball, you figure they would have invented a better shoe to prevent these sprains. You see that with the UH team every year with players getting decimated before the season starts from stuff like this. I also notice the low top shoes are more common now days, and probably contributing to these injuries.
Next time stay in school and maybe your chances to the NBA would be better.
NOMO NEX TIME. WARNING FOR FUTURE ATHLETES: NOBODY FROM U.H. EVER MADE IT BIG TIME BY LEAVING EARLY.
Except they wouldn’t. If he stayed, it’s unlikely he would’ve gotten even this far with an NBA team. Being in the Big Dance — and being a big reason they got there — gave Janks the platform to get noticed. UH, without a reversal from the NCAA, will have its players go unnoticed this year.
Not true, with the Players that Ganot recruited all by himself without help from Gibb and Taylor, this team has little chance of making it to the big dance. Probably won’t even get an invite by the pay to play post season tournaments. And that’s why he left, nothing to gain from Ganot by staying, remember, Janks, like almost all the good players that left, didn’t even mention Ganot’s name while some praised Taylor.
Bobbitt praised Ganot while stating emphatically he didn’t like the style of play of the previous conmen. Janks left because he had nothing to gain by staying regardless who the coach is and because the stench from previous regime meant no post season. Your fellow conmen made sure of that. You need to smell yourself sometimes, it’s pretty putrid.
Why stay in school? He got his degree. What more can he do in the BW?
Happy for that. yes.
Big West Player of the Year is not enough to be playing with the big boys….
go to europe and play with those big boys…
Geezus, did anyone really believe he could have made the NBA team much less play in the NBA….everybody that plays for UH is delusional….look at all the players that came out thinking they could get drafted and play in the NBA…….e.g. Carl English and I forgot the two other players that really believed they were good enough to be drafted etc….gimme a break…playing for UH and in the BW…..ha…ha..ha…
Bob Nash and Anthony Carter.
Henderson??
mctruck you forgot to go…..ha…ha..ha…
Hossana must not be old enough to remember those guys. Those three were automatic when I read his comment.
First Round: Bob Nash, Tommy Henderson
Also made to the NBA: Tommy Barker, Savo…and a shooting guard (? Name)
Anthony Carter was a free agent who played 10+ years.
His defense was a big liability.
Physically his body is too immature. He needs to hit the weight room and take his 400 grams of protein each day.