Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic can do almost everything on the court. His 6-foot-10, 253-pound frame is indeed an intimidating presence inside and outside the paint.
But the rigors and demands of basketball practice can either make or break an aspiring player. In an interview with Eurohoops during the Basketball Without Borders camp in Belgrade, the young big man admitted that he was no exception to the many players who thought they were not cut out for the big leagues.
“I wasn’t even interested that much in basketball. I didn’t burden myself with that. As far as these guys go, a lot of them will probably play in the NBA. But I’m a wrong example. I used to cry when going to practices and my father had to keep convincing me.”
It's a good thing that his father never gave up on him, as the younger Jokic would go on to tear up the NBA with his amazing rare set of skills.
The 22-year-old big man has been playing like he's in a basketball video game with his monstrous stat lines. Jokic is the only center on the top-five list of players who had the most triple-doubles last season.
We have seen point forwards like LeBron James handling playmaking duties, but we haven't seen anything like Jokic. He had career highs in almost every category last season with averages of 18.5 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and a 39 percent clip from beyond the arc. He was also among the top 15 with the highest player efficiency rating (PER) at 24.5.
Take note, young aspiring players. It's normal to be discouraged in practices and games from time to time. But like Jokic, quitting should never be an option.
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