A new NBA season is approaching without delay, and Nikola Jokic has understood that it is the right moment to open up and make clear how he feels both physically and mentally, placing special emphasis on the wear and tear of more than a decade under the spotlight.
To begin with, and speaking in an interview granted to the Jao Mile podcast, he highlights the fact of playing all 82 games in the regular season; moreover, he talks about how tough it is when you cannot play due to an injury.
“Perhaps I should be proud of that. I want to play every game. I played a full 82-game season. Maybe I shouldn’t be like that; maybe you need to rest a bit. But I think that once you develop a certain rhythm, the game flows naturally and, in a sense, you even enjoy it. Even when I was injured, when I was off the court for a long time for the first time, I was nervous. I can say I was really nervous, perhaps for the first time in my life,” he explains.
Being one of the best players in the world today — for many, even the number one — the media attention and fan scrutiny are immense. Regarding this, he has no problem admitting that at this stage it is hard to always come across as friendly in every instance; all this while his contract renewal remains unsettled.
“I handle it poorly. The popularity bothers me more and more. It will sound harsh, but I’m becoming ruder with the people who approach me. Honestly, it’s exhausting… Some people in my circle know it: I don’t take photos because it’s my moment. I’ll sound rude again, but what can I do if people can’t understand me…? I understand everything, but it’s been 11 or 12 years and it’s enough,” he explains.
Nikola Jokic Sees Himself Far From a Role Model
One of the most common mantras associated with top athletes across disciplines is the classic “he’s a role model.” The Denver Nuggets center completely avoids that label, not even understanding why that designation is attached when he himself sees himself as far from such praise.
“Maybe some people don’t like it, but I don’t think they should view me as a role model. I’ve had good examples as well as bad ones, but somehow I’ve always known, deep down, what was right; for instance, if I turned pro at sixteen, I wouldn’t have gotten drunk. I don’t know if a public figure can truly influence children, but that responsibility belongs to friends and family. I don’t think I have that much influence on youngsters; people tell me, ‘They see you as an example.’ Well, they shouldn’t see me as such; I didn’t see others as examples. I don’t agree with people on this, though my view may not be popular,” he concludes.
