Nikola Jovic: I’m ‘almost fully healthy’ after ankle, foot injury

Terry Rozier and Nikola Jovic both spoke to reporters Wednesday, offering injury updates less than three weeks before training camp begins on Oct. 1.

Rozier, recovering from a neck injury, has still yet to be cleared for 5-on-5 action. Jovic disclosed Wednesday that he’s almost fully recovered from an ankle and foot injury that he suffered during a summer workout in June–one that almost sidelined him from the 2024 Olympics.

“I would say I’m almost fully healthy,” Jovic said, according to the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. “Of course, there’s a little ligament that still has to be 100 percent. They told me it would take a little bit more time, but it shouldn’t be an issue. Basically I’m 100 percent.”

Jovic won Bronze with Team Serbia during the Olympics, though his time on the court waned as the competition went on. After averaging 16.7 minutes in the group stage, he played five combined minutes in three knockout stage games, including just two minutes in their Bronze medal contest against Germany–tallying one rebound. In five Olympic games, he averaged 4.2 points, 1.8 rebounds and one assist in 10.9 minutes on 7-of-16 shooting (43.8 percent) and 3-of-10 from 3-point range.

Jovic, 21, revealed that he almost didn’t play in the Olympics due to his injury, which wasn’t fully healed by the time it began–making more sense as to why he didn’t see more time.

“I had a little fracture,” Jovic said. “It was not just a normal sprained ankle, it was a little fracture that I had. I did the MRIs and everything, at that point they weren’t sure if I was going to make it in the Olympics. But my biggest goal was to just be there and be with the team and help them as much as I can and play.

“We flew to Paris and I knew I was not in great shape because I hadn’t played in awhile. My foot maybe wasn’t ready for a big role and we knew all that, and coach understands everything. But he still wanted me to go, he still believed I could help as much as I can and that’s what I did.”

Training camp will begin Oct. 1 in the Bahamas, giving a near-three-week timetable for extra treatment on his ankle and foot. Jovic stated that if he feels any pain when camp arrives, he likely won’t participate, but as of right now, he’s planning on being ready.

“We’re making sure that my foot is good after every practice because the injury I had is of course not a joke and we really don’t want any new problems with it,” Jovic said. “So during training camp, I wouldn’t say I’m going to sit down or anything, but of course you just want to make sure that everything is good.

“If something starts hurting by any chance, I’ll probably need to step away. But I don’t think that will be the case and I’m really looking forward to being 100 percent and giving everything I have.”

Jovic started in 41 of the team’s final 44 games last year, including in all five of the team’s postseason games against Boston plus their two play-in games. With Caleb Martin in Philadelphia, if healthy, it’s expected that Jovic will see an expanded role. He averaged 7.7 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists last year, shooting 45.2 percent from the floor, 39.9 percent from 3-point range and 70.2 percent from the free-throw line.

***

To check out our other content, click here.

Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Twitter/X here!

Follow Hot Hot Hoops on Instagram here!

Subscribe to our YouTube channel here!