Montenegrin and NBA ace, Nikola Vucevic said that "it is a great thing for Montenegrin basketball that we will appear for the first time at the World Championship, which is the biggest competition after the Olympic Games.
"Given previous experiences, I don't think we should set any specific goals. We need to focus on the preparation period, to prepare as soon as possible, to go to China healthy and complete, and to try to surprise and make the best possible result. It is a great honor to play at Mundobasket, we will do our best to make the best possible result", added Vučević, who, in agreement with the coach, and considering NBA rules and the contract with Orlando, will later join the preparations of the national team.
When asked how he comments on the fact that more and more players are canceling their appearances for the World Cup, Vučević answered:
"The players, for the most part, have personal reasons for canceling. A lot of players from the American national team have canceled, they are focusing on the NBA league, and they are looking at the World Cup differently. For them, the Olympic Games are the pinnacle, and the World Championship as when. They should have had a very strong national team, but most of them canceled, but they have a large number of players and will again have an excellent team and be among the favorites".
Vucevic has no problems with Orlando regarding the decision to play at Mundobasket.
"We didn't talk much. They just asked me if I wanted to play, if I would play, and that was it. The most important thing for me was to solve the situation with the contract first, and when I solved it, I could sit down with my family and decide. Basically, I didn't have any pressure from Orlando, the club understood that it is the wish of every player to play for the national team in a big competition and I have their full support in that matter. And I'm already an experienced player, I've been there for many years, and they wouldn't be able to influence my decision much".
Vucevic had a great season with Orlando, he played both in the playoffs and at the All-Star Weekend, and he will round off the year with an appearance at the World Championship.
"Many players throughout history did not even manage to play in the World Cup, it is quite difficult to qualify." Considering that we won the visa, I decided, nevertheless, to accept the invitation and be with the team. All the best national teams will be there, almost all the best players in the world. It is a specific competition, and I wanted to compete with the best. I hope that I will show myself in the best light, that I will help the team to make the best possible result".
In the NBA league, he had the opportunity to play against Janis Adetokunba, a player from Milwaukee, who will be the star player of Greece, Montenegro's rival in the group, at Mundobasket.
"He is very difficult to guard. He has really incredible physical predispositions, he is smart, he can find different ways to get to the basket. It is certain that one player cannot guard him, it should be a team defense, the effort of all of us to try to limit him. He is among the best players in the championship, but Greece as a whole has excellent players, it is an excellent national team with a lot of experienced players, so you should not only focus on Adetokunbo, although he will be one of the main stars and will be under the special attention of all teams," he concluded. Vucevic.
Bonus video:
