By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Vasilije Micic scored 23 out of Anadolu Efes’ total 58 points in the championship game against Real to win back-to-back MVP honours in his home country, and of course, the parallel with NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was inevitable.
“What we have in common with Jokic is that we both make Serbia proud,” Micic told the Final Four media after landing his second EuroLeague trophy in a row. “He is a unique person”
“He makes a small country so recognisable, so famous, he represents us. I’m supporting his achievements and I’m proud”, Micic said, before the press conference was interrupted by his Efes’ teammates and the ‘mandatory’ water celebration.
A similar “incident” happened during the press conference after winning the 2021 title, and Micic immediately knew what was coming when he heard the cheers.
“This is a great achievement for us,” he added. “I don’t want to sound special or smart, but this is a special achievement for us. Big thanks to all our fans from Turkey and to everyone who came out. I hope we made them proud”.
As for what goes through his mind when he’s making clutch shots, Micic said the key is not to overthink it. “I can only talk about myself. I just don’t think too much, I try to read the moment. Ataman understands what it means to play in the moment. And if you believe in that, it’s really difficult to stop. You can find a way sometimes, but in the course of 40 minutes, it’s difficult to predict what you’re going to do. I just try to check what is going on in the moment, and then whether it’s a drive or a shot, I try to make the best decisions. That’s all, just play spontaneous and with hard work behind the scenes.”
“All these shots I’m taking, I’ve already shot so many times in my life. Nothing surprises me. When you analyze it seems like we’re doing something special, but I would say more that we play in the moment, spontaneously, and believe in each other. I come into a game without a plan. It doesn’t mean I don’t respect a game plan, we have worked on a game plan for four years. But all the decisions I make in the moment, and that’s how you really put a defense in problems. If you have specific preparations, it’s easier to stop.”
Photo credit: G. Matthaios / Eurokinissi