FAN MAIL: Nikola Ivanović – “I want to achieve something big in my city”

Budućnost VOLI point guard Nikola Ivanović has answered on your questions! Who is the toughest player he has ever played against in ABA League? Why he has returned to Podgorica? In which club he would love to play?

Find out the answers in the following article.

Who is your favorite teammate you have ever played with?

"Honestly, I really don't know. It is impossible to single out just one player."

What was the decisive factor for you to return to Budućnost VOLI this summer?

"I really want to leave a better impression than the last time and I want to do something big in my city. I did not want to be someone who left the club, without playing some good basketball here." 

Are you still in contact with your former teammates from Mega Bemax?

"Yeah, I am in touch with most of them. It’s a group of great guys who are very dear to me, so we are still in contact." 

Who is the toughest player you have ever played against in ABA League?

"Perhaps Malcolm Armstead, who used to play in Krka. He is a top class 1-on-1 player and a very difficult guy to play defense on." 

What did you miss the most in Podgorica?

"That energy of the people who are close to me."

Which moment from your career you will never forget?

"I would say that game-winning 3-pointer I scored for Montenegro in the match against Serbia in Belgrade."

Who makes the best jokes in Budućnost VOLI?

"That would be our team steward Bato. He is No. 1 in making jokes here."

What are you doing in your free time?

"Those are really rare moments. :) During the winter, I usually watch movies or play video games."

If you were not a basketball player, would you play some other sport?

"Hmmm, it’s hard to tell. But, I do not think so. I would probably look for some job which is not so physically demanding.

Do you have any ambitions to play in the NBA?"

"Of course I have, but I am not so sure that I am close of achieving that goal."

You finished the previous season in Italy. Did the time spent there help you to become a better player?

"Yes, it did. Wherever I played I have gained some valuable experience. Italy was good for me and it was nice to spend half a year there." 

Can Budućnost VOLI dethrone Crvena zvezda mts in ABA League?

"It sounds good, but it is not that simple. We are still far away from that goal and we are about to see where will this season take us." 

Do you sometimes watch that game-winning 3-pointer that you scored for Montenegro against Serbia?

"You might not believe me, but no. It is a great memory, but it was a long time ago." 

In which club you would love to play?

"Me? Manchester United!" :)

What do you think about ABA League 2?

"It is a great competition! I am glad that two Montenegrin clubs are participating, because I think that ABA League 2 is one level above the Balkan League. Also, it is a good chance for the teams who are not playing in ABA 1 to show themselves to the basketball crowd in our region." 

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Nikola Ivanović – “Želim da napravim nešto u svom gradu”

Nikola Ivanović, plejmejker Budućnosti VOLI, je odgovorio na vaša pitanja! Protiv kog igrača mu je bilo najteže da igra? Zašto se vratio u Podgoricu? U kom klubu bi voleo da se oproba?

Pročitajte intervju i saznajte odgovore!

Ko ti je omiljeni saigrač sa kojim si igrao?

"Uh, iskreno ne znam. Nemoguće je izdvojit jednog igrača."

Šta je prelomilo da se ovog leta vratiš u Budućnost?

"Želim da ostavim bolji utisak i napravim nešto u svom gradu. Ne želim da ostane na tome da odem, a da nisam igrao dobru košarku."

Čuješ li se još sa bivšim saigračima iz Mege Bemax?

"Pa da, sa velikom većinom. Grupa super momaka koja mi je draga i održavamo kontakt konstantno."

Protiv kog igrača u ABA ligi ti je bilo najteže da igraš?

"Možda Malcolm Armstead dok je igrao u Krki. Vrhunski 1 na 1 igrač, i najteži za čuvanje."

Šta ti je najviše nedostajalo u Podgorici?

"Energija ljudi koji su mi bliski."

Koji je momenat iz tvoje karijere koji nikada nećeš zaboraviti?

"Trojka u Areni će vjerovatno uvijek da bude jedne lepo sjećanje."

Ko je najveći šaljivdžija u ekipi Budućnosti VOLI?

"Ekonom Bato, broj 1."

Šta radiš u slobodno vreme?

"Rijetki su trenuci kad mogu da se posvetim sebi, ali pogotovo sad kad je zima, zatvorim se u kuću i gledam filmove i igram igrice."

Da nisi košarkaš, da li bi se bavio nekim drugim sportom?

"Hmm, ne znam. Tesko je reći iz ove perspektive. Ne vjerujem, tražio bih nešto gdje nema toliko fizičkog zamaranja."

Da li imaš ambicije da igraš u NBA ligi?

"Normalno da imam ambicije, ali nisam siguran da mi je to baš na dohvat ruke." :)

Da li ti je boravak u Italiji pomogao da budeš zreliji igrač?

"Jeste. Gdje god da sam igrao stekao sam dodatno iskustvo. Italija je bila dobra za mene, i prijalo mi je što sam tamo proveo pola godine."

Da li može Budućnost VOLI da skine Crvenu zvezdu mts sa trona?

"Zvuči lijepo, ali nije baš tako jednostavno. I dalje smo daleko od toga. Vidjećemo kuda će sezona da nas odvede."

Da li pogledaš nekad na YouTube-u onu trojku koju si dao za Crnu Goru protiv Srbije u poslednjoj sekundi?

"Možda mi sad nećete vjerovat, ali ne. Tačno da je lijepo sjećanje, ali bilo je relativno davno."

U kom klubu bi voleo da igraš?

"Manchester United!"

Kako ti se čini ABA 2?

"Odlično. I drago mi je da dva crnogorska kluba igraju, jer mislim da je nivo iznad Balkanske lige i dobra šansa za timove koji ne igraju ABA 1 da pokažu kvalitet i budu ispraćeni."