Mirotičius, speaking openly – about the applause for Shar, the joy discovered in Catalonia and the difficulties caused by COVID-19 / News

Photo: FCB Basket

Barcelona star Nikola Mirotičius said he was happy to see Šarūnas Jasikevičius in the Catalan capital and leading the team.

Mirotičius gave an exclusive interview to Mundo Deportivo journalist José Ignacio Huguet before the upcoming Spanish King’s Cup, where he spoke openly about a variety of topics, from favorite status in Spain and the arrival of Jasikevičius to boring coronavirus tests.

– Is Barça the main favorite to win the Copa del Rey?
– It is normal for people to talk a lot before the next tournament. Of course, we came to the tournament in good shape and very confident, but we know very well what kind of tournament it is. Last year we were also in good shape, but things ended badly, but that’s a thing of the past and now we are determined to do our job.

– What will be the most important thing to take away the title from the Real?
– First of all, you must think about the match with Unicaja and prepare well for it and expect one match at a time. Now we can’t think of a semi-final or a final. In our mind, it is just a duel with Unicaja. This is the only way to win the title.

It is a pity that there are no fans and that we continue to play in those conditions, because the atmosphere in the cup tournament is always special.

– How do you rate the Unicaja team?
– Unicaja is always a tough competitor. It must be remembered that last year he occupied second place and, more recently, he played a great game against Estudiantes del Madrid, who won by 20 points. This is a team that can play at the Euroleague level, so we must be prepared and determined during the 40 minutes.

– How do you rate your period in Barcelona?
– I’m very happy here, and that’s the most important thing. That is what I came to be happy and enjoy. From day one, people gave me so much and we returned their enthusiasm for basketball. Everyone is talking about basketball again, recognizing the faces of basketball players and filling the Palau Blaugrana before the pandemic, even if it was not the most important match.

It’s a shame he hasn’t won the title yet, but last season it was tremendously difficult. Still, now new faces have been met, we have a new vision and we hope to achieve all the goals that are already known: win all possible trophies. I think we are on the right track, but I don’t want to put more pressure, which is already a lot.

– When you arrived at Barça you said that it was a step forward in your career. Are you still thinking the same?
– I don’t think so anymore, I live in it. For me, it is a step forward both as a player and as a human being. I needed a change, I wanted to have more leadership in the team and I didn’t come to any team. I’m in Barcelona, ​​one of the best clubs in the world.

– You say so, although you have not yet won a single title.
– Because it is. I know that I will be in this club for many years and I can’t always start the way I want to. To achieve great things, you must suffer. You can remember the legendary times of the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and the Boston Celtics. The same is true here.

Our time is yet to come, I hope it happens this year. Personally, I enjoy it, I am happy and my basketball has changed as well. The current Mirotičius is no longer who he was, and that is why I say that the transition to Barça is a step forward.

Money or the game in the NBA is not the most important thing in life because you must always enjoy what you do. If there are no goals then it is more difficult, but I have a lot of challenges here.

– You mentioned that your basketball has changed. How?
– If you look at my years in the United States, you will see that it was normal. Pikenpopo a player who simply shoots 3s. I more or less knew all the time what was expected of me.

He throws 5-6 triples, hits 2-3 of them, bounces a couple more balls and everyone is happy. I knew I could give the team a lot more, but as usual, there are a couple of stars the game is being built on and everyone has to adapt to that.

As you can see in Barcelona, ​​I play much closer to the basket, I have many more opportunities to play one-on-one, and hitting a decisive shot and winning a game is an incredible feeling.

– So you are more exploited?
– Much more, and that’s exactly what I wanted. We have to win titles, but now is just the beginning of everything and we are on the right track.

– Last season You have finished Bad performance in the ACB League final, in which Barça lost. Were you traumatized?
– Yes, but very few people knew about it, because before such matches the media do not want to reveal things that the competitors would not know. I have had a calf injury since the last game of the group stage and playing was risky, but I like taking risks and wanted to be with the team.

This is no excuse, I played very badly in the final. We had to win, but we lost, and Baskonia deserved the win because they looked better. Of course, this failure was painful because I thought that winning the local championship would take some pressure off and things would only get easier in the future. However, this has not happened, but we must lift our heads and hope that things will be different this year.

This season’s format will once again be the norm, which can benefit us. I think very few teams can beat us in the series.

– Malcolmas Delaney, Kevin Pangos, Ante Tomičius, Pau Ribas left the team in the summer and the only newcomer was Nick Calathes. Still, the team looks much more solid. Why do you think that?
– We play together longer, and adding a coach like Shar and a basketball brain like Calathes adds a lot of stability. This is one of the reasons why we are much more stable this season.

– You said a season ago that Jasikevičius is what this team needed. What did you mean?
– Many things. I already said a season ago that I was very surprised by Shar’s understanding of basketball. He is still a young coach, but seeing how much he knows and how he communicates his ideas to the players is incredible. Fans go crazy about it too. When it turned out that he would become the new coach, everyone was very happy.

– Does this mean that Mirotich’s Barça has become Shar’s Barça?
– Barça is Barça, nobody will be bigger than Barça. If we win, it will be the title of “Barça” and everyone will put their part and effort into it. Shar has already played here and won as a player and I have no doubt that he will continue to do so as a coach.

Personally, I am happy for him and I must say that he is an incredible person with great knowledge of the players. You can talk to him and know that he will understand and try to help you as much as possible.

– Do you feel that this year it could be Boats?
– It’s too early to talk about this. Right now, we are just thinking about the Copa del Rey and trying to win it, but we will see how things turn out.

– Compared to last season, what is the biggest difference you could name?
– Equipment. We are a much bigger team.

– Shar provides opportunities for young players and basketball players who had less playing time last year. It also reduced your average minutes. How do you react to this?
– How do I react to that? I am very happy for others. I’m happy for Sergi Martínez, (Artyom) Pustovia, Roland Smith, (Leandro) Bolmar because they are players who can play and add minutes.

They take advantage of every minute that is given to them. Shar is doing very well because we need all the players to win. If he played 30 minutes in every game, that would not be normal. When you need to play, Shar lets you on the court and when you can relax, he gives you rest. It helps us.

– Could you name something that Shar constantly demands from the team?
– It demands a lot of us, but probably the most …

– … Being a puppy?
– (laughs). I was looking for another word, but if you already said it.

– Jasikevičius spoke in a similar way before the season.
– Yes, being bigger bats, fighting in every game and not winning by 20 points if you can win 35. I think those requests are correct. The winning teams must be the following. They cannot be soft, one day to fight and the next not. Every day and every game must come with the same mentality.

– Do you have extra motivation when you play for Real Madrid?
– I’m motivated because it’s El Classico. I’m always super motivated against the best teams in Europe like CSKA, Anadolu Efes, Real. It will be very strange to play in Madrid without fans, as their whistles will not be heard.

– And which option is closest to your heart?
– Of course, with the audience.

– Even despite what is being called to you?
– Yes. I’m pretty cool with it. I knew what to expect in the first match, but I wanted to survive and then get used to it. If I could, I would always choose a game with spectators. Madrid have a great fan base, so the victory is even sweeter.

– Is it true that you also interacted with Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez before moving to Barcelona?
– No, that’s not true. So neither I nor my agent spoke to Florentine.

– Do you see yourself finishing your career in Barcelona?
– I have extended the contract for another two years and I am very happy about it. Thinking about it, 2025 is still a long way off. I’ll be 34. I look at everything a little bit, but I definitely extended the contract because I want to be here.

– He has also had a coronavirus. How was the experience?
– It was not easy. In the first days, I had no symptoms and I thought that everything would go away soon. But the next 48 hours were difficult. I started to feel muscle pain, I had a fever. The truth is that those 48 hours were very long. I don’t want to talk about it too much, but it was a very bad 48 hours.

– How many tests have you carried out since the start of the pandemic?
– Please don’t ask that. Every time I hear that word, I feel bad. I probably had about 100 COVID-19 tests, I can’t take them anymore (laughs). Doctors should find another way to detect the coronavirus.

– What is more difficult, pass a coronavirus test or play without fans?
– Play without fans, because the test only takes a few seconds.

– Do you think the fans will return to the stadiums this season?
– I’m always optimistic. Hope to see our fans coming back in April.