By Lefteris Moutis/ moutis@eurohoops.net
“You can’t call somebody winner, if he didn’t fail. But only somebody who failed five times and bounced back six”. Nemanja Nedovic would probably have heard of it in his hometown, Nova Varos and now he must prove that he has this type of mentality. After one season and some months of “rusting” in the NBA with τηε Golden State Warriors the Serbian point guard decided to travel overseas again to make a new start by signing a three-year contract with Valencia. He is ambitious and he wants to win games and titles with his new team and the Serbian national team!
The Serbian guard talked on Eurohoops about his comeback in the Euroleague and he is feeling something more than happy: “I’m excited for my come back with Valencia. I didn’t play so much in the NBA. I’m only 23 years old and I need games. Euroleague is the best competition in Europe and that was one of the main reasons I came here”.
In his rookie season he played only garbage time in 24 games. Why did that happen? “I just didn’t get the proper opportunity. I understand that my first season, I was rookie from Europe and I needed time to adjust. But since the end of last season I think I did it and everything was up to me. But I didn’t have the opportunity in the preseason. I played only for 16 minutes. I still feel assault. The season started and I continued not to play. I was sick of that and I decided to come back in Europe”.
In front of Nedovic were two of the best guards in the NBA, Stephen Curry and Clay Thompson. Was that the biggest problem for him? “Yes, it was hard. But I don’t think it had anything to do with Clay. Stephen was just in front of me but still I think there was place for me. I could have helped the team. But it was a coach decision and I respect it”.
He decided to leave Europe being 22 years old after one excellent season in the Euroleague with Lietuvos Rytas (9,8 ppg, 2,5 rpg and 2,1 apg). Was that his mistake? “It’s easy to talk now about my decision to go to the NBA. Back then I felt ready. Some people say that I should have stayed for one or two more years in the Euroleague. But it passed and I don’t think about it anymore”.
His nickname before travelling to the US was “the European Derrick Rose”. Does he want now to prove that was right? “I really don’t like the nickname. I think people take that out from the youtube”. What’s his next target? Has he forgotten the NBA or he still has it in his mind? “I don’t give up my dream to play in the NBA. It’s the best league in the world and it’s just amazing to be part of that”.
During the last summer, Nemanja Nedovic took part in the preparation of Serbia for Eurobasket 2014 but due to injury he didn’t play in the World Cup. He missed the chance to play in the final against Team USA, his ex-teammates and opponents. But he already dreams of the next summer: “I think me and some other guys who didn’t play last summer can give more quality to the team. Coach Djordjevic said to an interview some weeks ago that we will go for the gold medal and I believe it also. We will go for the gold medal”. Alongside with Teodosic, Serbia will probably have one of the best duo in the guard line in Europe!