INTERVIEW: Nikola Ivanović - "I want to be the leader"

Wednesday, 21. October 2015 at 15:40

Three big derbies, three away wins, a lot of excitement and excellent plays. All of that was included in the previous round of ABA League. And the hero of the week was Nikola Ivanović, young point guard of Mega Leks.

Three big derbies, three away wins, a lot of excitement and excellent plays. All of that was included in the previous round of ABA League. Traditionally, the sweetest thing came at the end. We had a real basketball thriller in Sremska Mitrovica on Monday night and the main star was Nikola Ivanović. Young point guard of Mega Leks scored 25 points, added 8 assists and had the overall index rating of 27 which brough him a prestigious award of the ABA League 6th round MVP.

"We are very happy and proud. Igokea are totally different team than us and with much more experience. For exapmle, there are Radivojević, Ćapin and Radenović who have a lot of difficult games behind them. Considering all of that, our success gets even bigger."

After six rounds Mega Leks have 4 wins and share the second spot on the standings, which is a great score for the far youngest team in the league. How much that means for your confidence?

"A lot! Our main strength is that we all firmly believe in what we are doing. And, the current overall score is the outcome of our hard work. Also, we are well guided by our coach Dejan Milojević. We do not have some primary goals, but we are not running away from the battle for the Playoffs. It will be very difficult, because youth also brings many ups and downs. It's hard to remain at the high level all the time, the season is long, but we can promise that we will do our best on every training. We want to prove our quality and motivation. I believe that our approach will keep us in the upper part of the standings."

Your decision to sign for Mega Leks after four years in Budućnost VOLI has already turned out to be the right one...

"I had a very difficult summer, because I needed to make a very important decision about my career. Still, I believe that I have made a good move and that everything will go according to my wishes. I have become a part of a very young squad, where we all have common goals and interests. We really enjoy both on and off the court and I think that reflects on our game. Although we are very young, we have quickly managed to build a team character and we are showing that on every game."

Despite being only 21 years old, you have already gained a lot of experience. How much is that important for your team?

"This is my fifth season in regional league. It's not some spectacular experience when comparing it to other older players, but certainly I can help my teammates in many things. I want to be the leader of this team, that is my goal and I work hard every day to fulfill it. And I am not referring to the stats, but to all those things that are expected from the leader."

In your squad there are two young French players - Alpha Kaba i Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot. Have they managed to fit in so far?

"They are very talented players and they perfectly fit into our team. Unfortunately, Kaba suffered an injury at the start of the season, but I am sure that he will show his full potential when he returns. Luwawu has already done that as he has played several games on a top level."


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Ivanović: "Želim da budem lider"

Tri derbija, isto toliko pobeda gostiju, mnogo uzbuđenja i odličnih poteza. Sve to donelo je minulo kolo ABA lige j.t.d. Po principu najslađe dolazi na kraju, u Sremskoj Mitrovici je odigran meč sa velikim brojem preokreta i na jednu loptu.

Njegova glavna zvezda bio je Nikola Ivanović koji je nanizao 25 poena uz osam asistencija, za indeks korisnosti 27 čime je došao do laskavog priznanja - MVP šestog kola ABA lige j.t.d.

„Veoma smo zadovoljni i ponosni. Igokea je totalno drugačija ekipa od nas, sa mnogo više iskustva. Primera radi tu su Radivojević, Ćapin i Radenović koji u svojim rukama imaju mnogo teških utakmica. Zbog toga naša igra i pobeda još više dobijaju na težini”

Posle šest kola Mega Leks se sa četiri pobede nalazi na deobi drugog mesta što je odličan rezultat za ubedljivo najmlađi tim lige. Koliko vam to znači za samopouzdanje?

„Mnogo. Naša najveća snaga je u što svi duboko verujemo u to što radimo. Treniramo zaista kvalitetno i rezultati moraju da izađu na videlo. Odlično smo vođeni od strane trenera Milojevića. Nemamo konkretne ciljeve, ali ne odričemo se borbe za plasmana u ple-of. Biće dosta teško, mladost sa sobom nosi oscilacije. Teško je stalno biti na visokom nivou, sezona je dugačka, ali sa druge strane ono što možemo da obećamo jeste da ćemo na svakom treningu dati maksimum. Želimo da se dokazujemo i imamo ogromnu motivaciju. Verujem da će nas takav pristup, uz mnogo rada, zadržati u gornjem delu tabele."

Vaša odluka da posle četiri godina u dresu Budućnosti pređete u Mega Leks, već se pokazala kao pun pogodak?

„Imao sam teško leto s obzirom da je trebalo da donesem odluku gde da nastavim karijeru. Verujem se da sam napravio dobar potez i da će sve ići prema mojim željama. Postao sam deo veoma mlade ekipu, svi imamo slične želje i interesovanja. Stvarno uživamo zajedno, na terenu i van njega. To se reflektuje i na naša izdanja. Iako smo veoma mladi veoma brzo smo uspeli da izgradimo karakter i to pokazujemo."

Iako imate tek 21 godinu, iza vas je veliko iskustvo, dragoceno za ekipu?

„Ovo mi je već peta sezona u regionalnoj ligi. Nije to nikakvo spektakularno iskustvo u odnosu na ostale, ali sigurno da mogu da pomognem saigračima u mnogim stvarima. Želim da budem lider ovog tima, to je moj cilj i svaki dan naporno radim na njegovom ostvarenju. Kad to kažem ne mislim na statistiku već na sve one stvari koje se očekuju od vođe. Kako na terenu, tako i van njega.

U svojim redovima imate i dva mlada Francuza Alpha Kaba i Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot. Kako su se oni snašli?

„Veoma su talentovani i sjajno se uklapaju u tim. Na nesreću Kaba se povredio već na početku sezone, ali će nakon oporavka sigurno pokazati kvalitet u koji smo se mi već uverili. Luwawu je već to uradio i odigrao nekoliko utakmica na vrhunskom nivou. Naša najveća snaga je u timu, a oni su se sjajno uklopili i učinili ga jačim."

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