Miami Heat forward Nikola Jović opens up about his summer injury, battling back to make the Olympics, crazier coach: Spo or Serbian National head coach Svetislav Pešić, his friendship with Jimmy Butler and what role he sees for himself this season.
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00:00Miami Heat media day. You know we had to talk to our guy, Nicola Jovic. How are you doing, buddy?
00:07I'm doing great. I'm doing great. You know, it's kind of... You feel like a seasoned vet of this now?
00:11Yeah, yeah. I really can't wait for it to start. You, uh, we were talking to Karam Butler a couple
00:17weeks ago and he was very impressed. He said it showed a lot of mental toughness for you to make
00:23it back from your injury, to be there for the Olympics. What, can you take us through kind of
00:28the rollercoaster that was the summer and getting yourself ready for that, to go and win bronze?
00:33Yeah, I mean the whole injury was an accident, you know. Like, I was home preparing and then I
00:38came right here to, you know, prepare a little more. The guys here want to make sure I'm, you
00:42know, I'm ready for the Olympics and, you know, just one of the practices I stepped on someone's
00:47foot, you know, just a little accident and the little fracture came out. So, it wasn't a perfect
00:54timing. At first, they told me I probably, I'm not gonna make it and that was probably realistic,
01:00but I wanted to make it so bad, you know, it's because you're not sure what's gonna happen in
01:06the next four years. Am I gonna be able to do it again? I wasn't, you know, I'm not sure what's
01:12gonna happen. So, I had to make it someone, somehow, and I'm happy that Coach Spoh and people
01:18from the Heat actually allowed me to do it in the end. You know, all the MRIs and everything
01:24were good, but a few days before Olympics, so they let me go and I'm happy that the people from,
01:31you know, Coach Stefan Serbia, you know, and everybody believed in me and actually waited
01:37for me to get healthy because I basically skipped the whole, the whole training camp, which was like
01:42a month. So, yeah, I got lucky that they believed in me and they actually picked me to go with them.
01:49Who is a, who is, who's a crazier coach? Your national coach or Spoh?
01:53I wouldn't say, no.
01:56More intense.
01:57More intense? It might actually be Spoh.
02:02Spoh said it was your coach, your Serbia coach.
02:07I mean, he's intense, but Spoh gets, on certain things, he truly gets intense. I mean, you gotta
02:14appreciate it because it's something that makes you better, but maybe because our Serbian coach is a
02:20little older, so he, you know, kind of stopped being that intense, but I would say Spoh at this point.
02:25That's funny. Spoh put it out there first. You should see his Serbia coach. Very intense.
02:31He is really intense. He is, I'm telling you, but overall with Spoh.
02:37You know, it was interesting, like last year, people talked about like your confidence coming
02:43into the year, but you did have to earn a role in the middle of the year.
02:46Was there a thing that you did in the middle of the year last year where you felt like you earned Spoh's
02:51trust even more? And what was that?
02:55I mean, there was a lot going on.
02:57Well, I didn't play. Kind of someone who really helped me go through it was Jimmy because he kind of
03:04made me practice with him a few times while he was coming back from the injury.
03:08So, you know, just my confidence was going up because, you know, you play against that guy.
03:13You know, we always play one on one and usually he'll beat me.
03:18But, you know, still playing against one of the best guys in the league, it gives you confidence.
03:22And then from that point, I was just waiting for an opportunity.
03:25It came in, I think, in Golden State when we played them there in San Francisco.
03:31And from that moment, I just started rolling and Spoh kind of saw how hard I was working,
03:37I guess. I mean, that's what I think.
03:40And he believed in my work and he just let me go with the team.
03:43And I feel like at the end of the season, I really showed that I can help this team win and help other guys be better.
03:50Where did that relationship with Jimmy, you know, come from, right?
03:53Because, like, he even went to one of your G League games in the midst of the season.
03:58And I'm like, that's a good teammate.
04:00If he's going to watch, you know, a G League game in the middle of Wisconsin on an off day, he really seems like he had your back on that.
04:07Yeah, I mean, I think from the start, he kind of saw that I'm really competitive.
04:12You know, maybe I wasn't. My head was all over the place my first year and everything.
04:16But he kind of took me under his wing and, you know, he kind of wanted me to show me how things are done and how to handle certain things.
04:27And I'm really grateful for that.
04:29He's a great guy.
04:29You know, he's a he's funny as hell.
04:32And that's why you like to be around him.
04:34He's got your picture in the locker.
04:35Man, I don't know what's wrong with that.
04:37I don't know how it came out there, but, yeah, it's bullshit.
04:43What is that? Is that like an old youth basketball picture?
04:46Yeah, I think it's when I was the, I think, I'm not sure, 16, I think.
04:51I just look crazy in the picture.
04:52I don't know if I just woke up or something, but I just look insane.
04:55You, uh, yeah.
04:56And the thing with that is you guys celebrated, not celebrated, but you guys spent a suspension day together because you got into the mix.
05:04Was that the Pelicans game?
05:05Remember that?
05:06Yeah, I know.
05:07I know.
05:07Like getting into the, into, did you like not know the rules that you couldn't get into the thing or are you just backing your guy?
05:12I mean, I kind of know the rules, but it's like, it's not just him.
05:16Like it was more, I think me and Thomas Brown.
05:20Yes.
05:20Thomas Brown got into conflict.
05:22And I'm like, I just, where we come from, you just don't let anyone, you know, mess with your team like that.
05:27So, uh, TB could have for sure handled his own, but you know, I wanted to make sure I'm with him and he knows I'm there for him.
05:33So I ain't letting anyone, you know, you know, be able to try and do whatever with my team because then we both have a problem.
05:42So, so yeah, I was just, I was just in a mix in the wrong spot.
05:46And I guess that's the rules.
05:48Of course.
05:48Uh, I feel like the rules are, uh, are not there.
05:52I'm not meant to be broken, but you know, sometimes you just got to do what you got to back your guy.
05:57Does it just like I did when you, uh, lost a bam and I did not, you didn't back him up.
06:02I backed you up.
06:04I did not lose.
06:05Okay.
06:06We'll be okay.
06:08I play him in dominoes, but I thought we were playing a race to five.
06:11I mean, best out of five and he was keeping score.
06:14So he said, and I'm like, whoa, whoa, whoa.
06:17We're not playing that way.
06:18So then we kept going.
06:20He said 50 game over and I'm like, he's shooting for sure.
06:27Yeah.
06:28And so that's why, and so he hurried up and left and then he keeps walking by, you know, doing the, the bam thing.
06:36And so now I'm gonna get him.
06:38Don't worry.
06:38I'm gonna get him.
06:39I'm gonna get him right underneath the, like the jumbotron and they're gonna have lights on the table and I'm gonna get him like that.
06:46So is bam the worst game cheater on the team?
06:50Like who is the biggest offender of that?
06:53I would say him.
06:54The crazy thing is he would cheat to winning whatever we do.
06:57And then he will make sure, you know, he won't
07:04thank you.
07:05You see, I'm not the only one.
07:07Wow.
07:07I'm not the only one.
07:09See, so y'all look, the rematch is coming.
07:11The rematch is coming.
07:12Niko, how, um, you know, you obviously you finished last year as a starter.
07:16Um, but like, do you, do you have like personal goals for this year to like kind of grow off of that?
07:21Because, you know, you just turned 21 years old.
07:23It was tremendous to see what you're able to do on that, you know, playoff stage last year.
07:27And you've obviously done a bunch on the international stage.
07:29So like, what is, I guess, personally your, uh, your goal for yourself coming into this year?
07:35I feel like for me, how I look at it is I'm trying to be healthy for the whole season.
07:42That's the first thing.
07:43And then just play as much minutes as I, as I can.
07:47You know, I gotta just show people that I can help this team win.
07:50And it's just, it's, there's so many different ways that I can show it because I'm not going to be the guy who you're going to give the ball to.
07:58And I'm going to score 25.
07:59We have so many of those guys where you just got to do the simple things.
08:02And if I can be great in those simple things, you know, like my shot has to be perfect when I'm open, I have to be at the right spot at the right moment.
08:12Uh, my defense has to be great for, those are the little things that I need to do for, you know, coaches and everybody to, you know, just keep believing me
08:20and be like, yeah, he's helping our guys be better.
08:23So that's kind of my personal, how tough is it?
08:27How tough is it being in that role?
08:29Not because you want the ball more, but you are a very dynamic player in that you give great core vision.
08:35You can get your teammates involved with the ball in your hands.
08:37So is it, is it tough being at the age that you're at feeling like I can create a lot of things more, or have you gotten to a point of career where you handle the limited stuff?
08:46Because you know, it is what it is.
08:48There's a lot of, you know, big, big names and veterans on the team and all that stuff.
08:52I mean, you know, just because I'm young, that's why I feel like I have so much time more to, you know, show people how much I can do.
08:59But at this point right now, that's how I look at, you know, I'm not looking at what's going to happen in two years.
09:03I'm looking at what's going to happen tomorrow.
09:05And tomorrow, you know, it's obvious that I'm not going to, you know, go over Todd or Bam or over Jimmy, you know, like they believe those guys more.
09:14It's, it's something that, you know, is going to be like that for now.
09:18Right.
09:19And, uh, and I got to help them.
09:21So that's what it's all about.
09:23I know in future, of course, there'll be, uh, times where I'll be able to show what I can do more.
09:28And maybe in, in future, I'll be able to be one of those guys.
09:32But for now, I just, you know, do stuff that I know I can do good for them.
09:36Isn't it weird?
09:37All the things that you're doing now really had nothing to do with why you got drafted.
09:43The thing, the little things they ask you to do, you don't get drafted high for doing all the little things.
09:48Yeah.
09:48I mean, but now that's what you're asked to do.
09:51I mean, I guess that's how it is.
09:52If you're not like, I guess, top three picks, that's what you got to do.
09:56Right.
09:57There's something normal.
09:58And then I guess by the time you show why you actually got drafted, right.
10:02I got you, buddy.
10:03Uh, get on out of here, man.
10:04You gotta get to the Bahamas.
10:05Appreciate you.
10:06Uh, give us some time.
10:07I appreciate that.
10:08All right.
10:08Thanks.
10:09Thanks, man.
10:09Thank you guys.
10:10Nicola Jovich.
10:10We're looking forward to watching him.
10:12Uh, one of our favorites to watch on this team.
10:14Not going to tell him to say, why are you stopping him?
10:17You saw what you're not going to do for him.
10:20Nope.
10:23Come on.
10:24No way.
10:25Hey, no way.
10:27No.
10:28Oh, now you're shy.
10:30See you Nico.
10:32Don't you?
10:33No, no, no.
10:34Listen, I had your back dude.
10:35Like that.
10:35I had your back.
10:37You didn't have my back.
10:38I didn't have your back.
10:38You didn't have my back.
10:40No, no, no.
10:41Coward.
10:43The cowardly lion.
10:45Should've said something.
10:47Don't you dare do it now.
10:49Handled himself.
10:50No,
10:57why are you whispering?
10:58What?
11:01Say it out loud.
11:02Say what out loud?
11:04You know what you want to say?
11:04That's terrible.
11:05Me?
11:05I don't say, I'm like, you ain't going to go hit him.
11:07Hit him with a little babusco.
11:08No, no, no, no, no.
11:10We have, we have task at hand.
11:12We have camp.
11:13You are.
11:13We don't have time for, for not.
11:14You are the time for camp.
11:23You look pretty nervous.
11:24Oh, look, I was like double Dutch.
11:26I wouldn't jump in.
11:27I'm very disappointed in you.
11:29What?
11:29I had your back with Bama.
11:30And then I realized that he was a G wait.
11:34And you heard him.
11:36Who?
11:36I heard that me.
11:37I told you what happened.
11:39You didn't believe me.
11:39I believed you.
11:40No, you didn't.
11:42Just like you want to whisper.
11:44I don't want to mix contract.
11:49Bring it back up.
11:55He's like, if y'all wouldn't let me, I'm going to kick his ass.
11:59You want me to go get him?
12:00No, that's all right.
12:04Oh man.
12:04Come on.
12:05Why?
12:06What?
12:07I have never, I have never seen you turtle up like that.
12:12To do what?
12:13To do the, to do the, the, the Serbian accent.
12:16It's more of Slovenian.
12:17You know, I don't want to, you know, it's a little, I'm growing as a broadcaster.
12:24Are you trying to avoid the chat the entire interview?
12:27Oh, they were going.
12:30Always trying to, the chat, the chat is the worst.
12:36You guys want me, you see what you guys want.
12:38You want this, you want an official credential.
12:41You want it revoked.
12:41That's what you want.
12:42You want me to be a dancing bear for you?
12:45You want, you want me to be, you want me to be a circus clown
12:49and you want this revoked?
12:50You want, you want Tim Donovan to walk in here and snatch it off my neck.
12:54I have to go through this every day where you do babushka for 30 minutes.
12:58Right?
12:59We didn't really have time.
13:00So then I don't, then you go, this is your, you whisper, did you hear me?
13:10Can you hear me?
13:11Oh, come on.
13:13Mm.
13:14No time for the silly sauce, which makes contact online.
13:18You are the worst.
13:20Oh my goodness.
13:21So did we, we never had a segment without it.
13:23We have two segments without interviews.
13:25It may be like three, but that honestly, that's the most we've ever done.
13:30That's the one I wanted.
13:31Yeah.
13:33Dude, does he look like a moose?
13:34Am I just crazy?
13:34He's a big boy.
13:36He's probably the moose that was on the course.
13:40You, you understand that he came here when he was 19.
13:44You know, he's still growing.
13:46I told you baby boy is moose.
13:49Close to mix, mix, contract.
13:52See, Nico, I told you.