The new NBA season is approaching its start, and Nikola Jokić spoke to the media in Denver.
The best player of the Nuggets, and probably the world, first commented on the new team he has after numerous departures and arrivals, but also joked:
“They changed the team. Someone asked me last season if we could win the trophy, I said ‘no’ because we got eliminated then. This year is a new opportunity for that. Many of my friends left the club, Vlatko, Dario… Now I have to find new friends.”
Regarding the new “All-Star” game format, in which “Team USA” will play against “Team World,” Jokić briefly said:
“I have no opinion. We’ll see when it comes. I hope people will like it more.”
Jonas Valančiūnas is one of the newcomers to the team, and also one of Jokić’s new friends:
“We speak English; we don’t understand each other otherwise. He is qualified to be my new friend,” Jokić said with a laugh.
Jokić also used Pešić’s words about his relationship with Jamal Murray:
“Pešić, my national team coach, said that Jamal and I have excellent communication off the court, but poor communication on it. The latter is important, but the former makes you closer to your teammates.”
Jokić did not extend his contract with Denver this summer, but he wants to stay there until the end:
“I don’t think about it. Extending the cooperation comes naturally, especially how everything works today. My plan is to be a Nugget forever.”
The EuroBasket, as he says, helped him:
“I think it helps because of the different versions of basketball. Different teammates, rules… They give you new options, plays; you can learn from any player at EuroBasket. It definitely helps.”
When a journalist asked about his age, Jokić was “offended” and replied:
“We don’t have to be enemies; we won’t talk about my age,” Jokić laughed and continued: “We’ll see, I hope I’ll still be at this level,” the Denver center said.
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Source: SportKlub; Photo: Printscreen YouTube