Jaime Jaquez Jr. was asked multiple times Friday in Indianapolis about his “welcome to the NBA moment.” Arguably that came Friday, when the Miami Heat rookie was subjected to his first All-Star Weekend media session ahead of his appearance in Friday night’s Rising Stars competition and then Saturday’s Slam Dunk contest.

“I would say right now, I’m feeling nervous, feeling excited, a lot of emotions are coming to mind, just trying to embrace it all as it comes,” he said.

As he has been all season since being drafted No. 18 last June out of UCLA, Jaquez was gracious with his time, candid with his responses,

Taking questions in both English and Spanish, Jaquez touched on a variety of thoughts.

– Of the whirlwind over the past year that delivered him to this moment, he said, “this has been an unreal year.”

“A lot can happen in a year,” he said. “I think that’s what it’s taught me, this experience, is that one year you’re in college and then the next year you’re in the NBA. Things can change and it happened really fast and you take it as a blessing.”

– As has been a talking point all season, he was asked about the benefit of entering the NBA after a four-year college career.

“I think having that experience and having that ability to play in big games, in moments really that matter, really translate into playing in the league,” he said.

– He again also spoke of finding his fit with the Heat, in what has turned into a prime rotation role.

“I think it’s no secret that’s where I wanted to get drafted to,” he said. “So for them to be able to pick me was a dream come true.”

– It was, in fact, a lesson learned at UCLA that has eased the transition to the Heat.

“It’s that when shots aren’t going in, you’ve got to play defense,” he said.

As for his initial lessons of the Heat’s culture, he said, “I would say just toughness, bringing your lunch pail to work every day, working hard, next man up, and we’re all we got, we’re all we need.”

– As for his most memorable NBA moment so far, he said it was a Christmas gift.

“I’d probably say Christmas Day, my career high, scoring 30 is probably my most memorable moments so far,” he said of the nationally televised victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, when he actually scored a game-high 31, along with 10 rebounds.

He said another moment that stood out was being assigned to defend Jayson Tatum in the Heat’s first matchup against the Boston Celtics, “I got to see the inherited rivalry between the Miami Heat and the Celtics, see how the atmosphere was so incredible.”

– As for Saturday’s dunk contest, he said it was a natural progression.

“I always loved dunking,” he said. “I was obsessed with it. When I was a kid, I would always dream about being able to dunk. And then now, here I am in the dunk contest. So I think that little kid would be pretty proud of himself.”

– He said his plans beyond All-Star Weekend are simple amid this eight-day break before the Heat resume play next Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans at the start of a four-game trip, starting with a Miami visit of friends from California,

“My boys are going to come meet me from back home,” he said. “It’s going to be their first time visiting me in my new city. So we’re going to have some fun and go to dinner.”

He said his parents and some friends have joined him in Indianapolis for the weekend.

– In short answers, he said growing up that Kobe Bryant was his favorite NBA player; the Black Album best describes his career, “because it is legendary”; said Los Angeles remains his favorite city, because that is his home; said he would pick lookalike Adam Driver to play him in a movie; said the player he would most like to dunk on is Giannis Antetokounmpo; and said his top all-time players from UCLA were current teammate Kevin Love, Reggie Miller and Lonzo Ball.