Nikola Jokic talks Miami Heat and Game 1, FULL Interview | 2023 NBA Finals Media Day

We will answer questions here in the room. We'll go to Rachel. The first questions go back to the first. Hey, Nicola, over here. First NBA Finals. Congratulations. Thank you. What do you remember when you were a teenage boy. What was the NBA Finals matchup? I saw that it really affected you what he said man, I want to do that someday, for sure, I don't even know, like in those days, I don't remember to be honest, maybe I remember when Dallas was when Dallas won the championship in Miami. I remember San Antonio won but to be honest I don't even remember the opponents, it was Miami.

San Antonio, right in Miami, when Real had a great opportunity here. I remember that one. To be honest, I don't remember. I do not remember. I remember, I remember recently when I got into the league, but I don't remember when I was growing because it wasn't very difficult to follow to be honest first and then I wasn't building. I was following your league and you were talking about basketball when you were a kid and you were on the asphalt and you were trying to make out if you were pretending in the driveway or on the asphalt that you were making that last shot to win a championship, of course I was.

I think everyone did that, even even Cody probably did it, so three, two, one and last, last second, trying to make a shot, everyone did that probably in life, Shane here in front, Shang Allen Ford, sports um Nicole, what stands out to you about the matchup with bam and I guess what do you see when you watch him play and what that challenge is going to be like in this series. I think it's something bad against me or whatever. I guess whatever. I think it's Denver versus Miami. and uh just because I think we have a similar style of play, we're getting everyone involved, we like to play team basketball, so it's not going to be me against him or anybody against anybody, it's going to be Miami versus Denver, um and me.

I think that's why it's going to be interesting. You are in the front row on your right today in Israel. You come from the city of Radovai. Courage, it is a kind of lion called trash. You feel like you're representing this culture of what was now Yugoslavia. Serbia to be honest, I don't think I can say that, but that can be said by someone who is older and who remembers them playing or playing with them or just knowing them or watching them play uh but um yes I make equalities from my hometown uh but no I don't know if we can compare ourselves or whatever, so I think there is someone older who remembers them and probably did something in basketball in Yugoslavia or Serbia or whatever, but that's a good question, thanks Melissa, hi Nicola.

Um, Coach keeps comparing you to Tim Duncan and you're selfish. How much did you admire Tim when you were a child? Did you really identify that selfishness and say Hey, I want to model my

game

after that and probably model my

game

? Yeah, he he's probably one of the best Power Force players to ever play the game and he did it with such ease and, you know, he's really really. I remember when he, he, he, played against me, he was a little older, but still. give me the 20 easiest and most dizzying points I've ever had in life probably uh he always had an opponent, he was very patient and he was a I think he's a great player to admire and model your game model for him who is standing next to you left.

Back here Paulina NBA Mexico How was it for you and the team to meet your rival? Was this an advantage or a disadvantage for you? We'll see about it tomorrow, but yeah, we're reading, we were, we were, but I think it took a good, good professional approach to those eight days, nine days, ten days, whatever it was, you know, just because it's actually a long rest and, you know, I think we did a good job, we stayed on the ship preparing and staying alert, but we still got enough rest, eh, but about the opponent we will see tomorrow is true or online Tim back, a right, Tim Reynolds with AP Nicola, you had the chance to meet the other Nicole in this series.

I guess earlier this season, what did she mean? For you, that meant a lot to him, the opportunity to interact with you and have dinner with you, and what do you know about his game? I guess there was some wisdom you tried to share with him when you met him. He was playing on the same team that I played on in Serbia and, the coach, one of his coaches was, my God, my godfather, who worked there and he told me that I think the year before he got drafted, he's actually very Well. player and a very good person who is working very hard and may have the talent to be an NBA player, you know, I know him before I know him a little bit.

To be honest, I never saw him play, just little highlights. but I never like a

full

game or whatever uh but he needs to say that bro I mean he doesn't have what he's going to say I don't want to meet him um uh so yeah, good guy, good person um I saw that he's getting bigger working on You know, we'll see if he'll get a chance to play, but I think he will. He's got a lot of mileage to offer Matt here on the left Matt More Action Network Nicola. I've asked you over the years about being the best player on this team and you've always resisted that label, even during the MVP years.

I was curious to know if you feel like being the best player in a superstar league, if that matters in basketball or if you feel like it doesn't matter because of how you view the game being the best player, I'm confused, um, but it's hard to say. because you know, sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not, and then I'm good with it and I think everyone else is good with it, so you know, I think I think the way he plays, everyone can take a step Go ahead and everyone can be the best player in a game or any week or whatever, so I don't know.

I don't know, I can tell myself that yes, you know the ball is in my hands a lot, so I make a lot of decisions, but I don't know if I can be the best player. I call it to your right here from Brazil. The question is all year long, even especially in the playoffs, you know, the

media

sees you as a loser. The coachman has been talking about how they feel now that they are Frank, the favor to reign in the

finals

. How did that change for you, whoever said we're favorites, the

media

and Las Vegas tell us we're not, before we were the underdogs, that's not right, I think I mean, I think we're not favorites, uh, I think in the fans, there are no favorites, uh, these are going to be the hardest games of our lives and we know it and we are prepared for it, we are preparing ourselves and we are preparing for it, so I think there are no favorites and I definitely think there are no We are favorites. this series I don't think they are either I think they're just the

finals

you know there are no favorites in the final my opinion Bernard Mike Mike singer Denver Post uh Nicola it seemed like you were on the court joking right here it seemed You were on the court joking a little.

I think I even saw you maybe give the middle finger to one of your teammates. How fun is this stage for you? I know you don't like the attention much, but it seems like you're accepting it, no, it was like it was a shooting competition game and uh, the big ones are little ones, they're little ones and I think we won it in the end and that's why the business I do that every time, so when we went of course, just so you know, just to talk a little trash, why not this question right? Oh, good job Nicola, uh, om young man, that's like ESPN.

Jamal was talking about how you've seen every defense and handled every wrinkle that's come your way and you. We were just talking about how you had the ball in your hands a lot. You have to make decisions if Miami throws a zone at you. What impact does that have on your decision making? How does that affect your hand as well, Jamal and your passing lanes? We'll see it tomorrow, but we saw the Zone, we definitely didn't see this type of Zone, uh, because they're changing their trading zones and they're really ruining the game and in their favor, and we.

We just need to stay focused and be solid in what we're doing because, that's why they're great, that's why they're winning, that's why they're in the finals, you know, they're ruining the game. on their way and they are doing very well. I don't know how it will affect me. We'll see tomorrow. Maybe we can handle 10 turnovers. Maybe you have 10 points. We will see more assists. thanks guys pleasure