HOLDING COURT WITH ... NUGGETS ROOKIE NIKOLA JOKIC

Like second-year Denver Nuggets teammate Jusuf Nurkic and Toronto veteran Jonas Valanciunas before him, and fellow rookie Kristaps Porzingis of the New York Knicks, Serbian Nikola Jokic is one of a select few young players who has found success in the sometimes tricky transition from European basketball to the toughest league of them all.

With four games left in the regular season, Jokic was among the top 10 rookies in numerous categories, hitting the number four spot in rebounds per game (6.8), and snagged 10 or more rebounds in 20 games.  He registered double digit scoring on 34 occasions (getting a double-double 15 times), scored 27 points against Toronto in February, had nine assists against Charlotte in January, and five steals against Indiana that same month.

During the final week of the NBA regular season, and the Nuggets out of play-off contention, this writer had the opportunity to talk with Jokic.

You’ve really had an amazing rookie season.

I don’t know if it is amazing. I just wanted to play hard every game I don’t know when I’m going to be good – when I am going to be bad. At the end of the game I can just tell myself I gave 100% and no one can say I didn’t give my best effort. That’s my goal for every game – just to go out and play hard and have fun.

Are you surprised at your success as a rookie?

I don’t think about that because if you think about that you don’t have a chance in this league.  You just need to go out and compete with all those guys and play hard. I think just be yourself -  do whatever you can do to help your teammates - I think that’s the way you need to play.

So what HAS been your focus?

When I came into the league I didn’t know if would play at all. Then coach gave me the chance to play a bit and I played some really good games and now I’m a starter.  So I am happy just to be here with the Nuggets. We’ll see what happens in the future.

What has been the biggest surprise for you in playing in the NBA?

Everything! First … well I didn’t expect to play at all.  And then you are playing with or against the best players in the world and have teammates in your locker room who are the best.

So do you ever feel like you need to pinch yourself to know that this is all real?

All the time!!  This is a dream for every player in the world to be in the NBA. At first I was just thinking “How am I going to do this?” Even the first game I thought “How am I going to compete with these players?”  But this has been my goal.

How have you adjusted to the more difficult schedule of the NBA compared to Europe?

There is a lot more travel, but travel is actually the good part.  Here you travel by private jet – In Serbia you travel by bus!! However it’s tougher because there is a game every second night and I have had to adjust to that but I think I am doing okay.

Is it harder physically or mentally?

I would say both. You know you have to play and you are physically tired and mentally tired. So that night you try to get a good night’s sleep and then play hard the next day.

What is the best advice you have gotten to help cope with this?

Take care of your conditioning. Be in the weight room every day. Eat well.

What do you hear from friends and family back home?

In Serbia my games are on at 3:00 AM.  I get all kinds of messages and support and see that people are watching me.  And now with three Serbian players in the NBA people in Serbia are starting to watch NBA games again.

You keep in touch with Boban (Marjanovic of the San Antonio Spurs) and Nemanja (Bjelica of the Minnesota Timberwolves) often? Even though – like you – they are technically rookies this year they are both older veteran players and of course Bjelica was EuroLeague MVP last year.

Yeah. They both were really good back in Europe.  Bjelica is really skilled and I think he is going to learn a lot here. The game is different from what we are used to in Europe, but I think he is going to show people what he can do.

Who are the players in the league you have most admired?

(Dirk) Nowitzki, (Tim) Duncan, Boris Diaw. Those are guys that have the respect of everyone in the NBA.

What is the best advice you got from the Nuggets coaches?

Don’t be a rookie.

What did he mean by that?

I don’t need to respect anybody.  We are here all the same – all basketball players.  That advice really helped me.

And what is the best advice you have gotten from teammates?

Keep your head up … well mostly basketball stuff … play strong, play hard, play good defense, look for opportunities to help your teammates.