By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Nikola Jokic later completing the path to finally becoming an NBA champion as the leading player of the Denver Nuggets in the 2022-23 campaign, Facundo Campazzo was among his teammates over the two previous seasons.
The former Nugget and current point guard of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet visited MaxBet’s Euroleague Chit-Chat as the guest of the special edition of the podcast shared on Monday, one day before the Nuggets were crowned champions.
Campazzo, 32, walked through his entire career, including his stint in the NBA, split between the Nuggets and Dallas Mavericks. Focusing on playing alongside the Joker, he shared expert knowledge on the additional challenges of a point guard teaming up with a skilled playmaker the likes of Jokic.
“You got to be ready. If you are in the corner and you think he is not going to pass you the ball, you are wrong. You are going to miss the shot because you are not going to be ready to shoot it,” he mentioned, “You have to be ready every time you play with him because he sees everything.”
“I have never seen a player like Jokic”
Tasked to describe Jokic, he recalled his early days in Denver and picked the top qualities of his former teammate.
“Jokic taught me a lot, helped me a lot,” he opened the conversation on Serbia’s superstar, “I remember him, on my first day, ‘Do you remember everything you learned in FIBA [rules]? Here it is way different.’”
“The great thing he got is he makes everyone better,” added the Argentine floor general, “After you play with him, you are a better player. That is why he is so special. Also, he can score, he can pass, he can play defense, he is very smart playing defense.”
A former teammate of multiple Argentina stars at the international level and more great players at the club level, from Manu Ginobili to Luka Doncic, Campazzo confidently surfaced Jokic as a unique talent.
“To be honest, I have never seen a player like Jokic. Never, never,” he underlined, “He can do everything. Everything.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images