He knows Doncic perfectly and Dragic has no doubt that this season his compatriot has many options to win the MVP
The Slovenian Goran Dragic faces his fifteenth season in the NBA as a veteran hungry to win
the slovenian goran dragic He faces his fifteenth season in the NBA as a veteran with a hunger to win and, to do so, he chose the ambitious project of the Chicago Bulls. Meanwhile, he celebrates in an interview with EFE the career of his friend Luka Doncic, whom he defined as “a bad loser” who “improves daily” and who “has no limits.”
He is one of his best friends in the NBA and knows perfectly Doncic Y Dragic He has no doubt that this season his compatriot has many options to win the MVP.
“If we go by the numbers, he’s going to be there and he’s going to fight him. I still don’t understand how they choose the award, if you need to have a good balance of victories, if only the statistics weigh… he’s going to be in that fight,” he claimed.
Ask: He is 36 years old, signs a year with the Chicago Bulls. What is his role within the team and where do his goals go?
Response: “It’s easy, I still want to play, I’m 36 and I won’t be the youngest anymore, but I feel like I can play, and offer a lot. I’ve found an ideal mix of players, friends and a great institution. I’m happy to be with the Bulls. We’ll see how the season goes, we have very high expectations.”
Q: Are they qualified to win a ring?
A: “Yes, I followed Chicago’s season last year and they had a tremendous regular season, unfortunately they had a lot of injuries in the playoffs. The goal this year is to be on the same page and take one or two steps forward. We aspire to win it everything, you never know, everything is possible. We have a wonderful group, good atmosphere and we have to work to become a team and have fun. I feel like a lot of players in this league have forgotten to have fun playing. At this point in my career I want to win But I also want to have a good time.”
P: Those players you have found, you already knew them from playing against them. Have any of you been surprised or impressed by meeting him up close?
A: “To be honest I would say everyone. With DeMar DeRozan We’ve had a lot of battles against each other when I played in Miami. It’s nice to see all these guys and that we are now on the same side, that we fight together. My great friend Nicholas vucevicwhich was one of the big reasons why I came to Chicago, I always wanted to play with him, we talked about it for years and we finally got it & rdquor ;.
Q: He comes from a team that is also a candidate for everything like Brooklyn. The feeling is that in that locker room there was not the good chemistry that lives in Chicago.
A: “No, when I was in Brooklyn I had a good experience. With a lot of great players like Kyrie Irving, Kevin Durant… but you have to appreciate that it is a different approach, when you have such high aspirations and you need to win, but you are not successful, everyone feels horrible. The atmosphere is different, it affects you a lot internally when you lose. In Chicago everything is new and easier for me because I was able to do the whole preseason from the first day and that way I can meet the players, be with them and have a good adaptation”.
Q: Do you think the time has come for Doncic be MVP and even win a ring with the Mavs?
A: “Yes, if you look at the numbers, he’s going to be there to be MVP. But it’s always hard to know if he’s going to get it because I still don’t understand how they pick the MVP. If you need to have a good winning record with your team, if they weigh only the statistics… That’s why, if we go by the numbers, he’s going to be there and he’s going to fight for that award. Every day he shows how much he improves, he has no limits. He’s an incredible talent and I really enjoy watching him play”.
Q: What would have happened if he had chosen to play for Spain instead of Slovenia?
A: “It’s a great question, with Slovenia I have already won a gold medal. But I don’t know, with Spain I would probably win more medals, because they are always in the fight for the top three. There are always good players, but in the end it is Slovenian, feels Slovenian and made the right choice”.
Q: when you talk to Luke off the court, does he comment if he is excited about winning an MVP or does he not touch on that topic much?
A: “No, never. What’s crazy is that he’s always talking about winning, he just wants to win. He’s a very bad loser. It doesn’t matter if it’s cards, billiards, darts… he just wants to win. It’s something that is very rare and that motivates him to be the best.
Q: Do you think that it is already possible to speak of a balance between local and foreign players who dominate in the NBA?
A: “Yes, without a doubt. Over the years the NBA has changed a lot. Maybe in the past those international players had to have a lot of exposure or receive a lot of opportunities to get there. The first ones like Petrović, Divac either Schremf They gave way to those who came later. They opened the door to all these later generations, they opened the eyes of the teams and made them see that there was not only talent in the United States. Now it is impressive how many international players are among the best: Doncic, Antetokounmpo, Jokic, embiid… It’s nice. If you’re good, you can play here.”
Q: Perhaps the format of the All Star Game should change to a United States against the rest of the world…
A: “It would be interesting and very competitive. Maybe it’s time to do it. They should think about it, because of the potential at the marketing and business level.”
Q: Do you see yourself as a coach in the future?
A: “Everyone tells me the same thing, I don’t see myself as a coach. I will never say that it won’t happen, but probably when I finish my career I will want to take some time to enjoy my family. When that moment comes I am convinced that I will look for new challenges in my life & rdquor ;.