By Antonis Stroggylakis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Mirotic is inarguably one of the most elite offensive players ever in EuroLeague history.
He has amassed a vast collection of team and individual accolades to show for it as well. He’s a former EuroLeague MVP, ACB and LegaBasket season MVP while also claiming Finals MVP in both Spain and Italy multiple times as he led Barcelona and Olimpia Milano to championship titles.
As a member of the Spanish national team, Mirotic was an important contributor in the 2015 EuroBasket and 2016 Olympic Games when the La Roja claimed gold and bronze medal respectively.
During his NBA run from 2014 to 2019, the Montenegrin-born big man played significant minutes for playoff teams. In his last season in the league he made the Eastern Conference Finals with the Milwaukee Bucks.
But there’s one lingering question that, as of now, remains unanswered. Will his career be considered successful if he doesn’t win the elusive EuroLeague championship he’s been pursuing for years?
In a conversation with Eurohoops, Mirotic tackled some topics that could be hard or unpleasant and explained why he doesn’t believe his career should be defined by whether he becomes a EuroLeague champion or not while he’s still aiming to achieve that goal, now as a player of AS Monaco Basket.
The 34-year-old veteran forward looked back to the shocking and unprecedented decision of turning down a lucrative NBA deal in 2019 when he opted to make his EuroLeague comeback. He also discussed putting his ego aside to adjust to better serve AS Monaco after years of being the leader of the teams he was a part of, the best and worst of his NBA experience, the outside noise on certain career choices he made, the tough EuroLeague calendar and why he feels blessed to be coached by Vassilis Spanoulis.
Eurohoops: You have won every individual accolade there is to win in Europe. Several domestic titles in both Italy and Spain. A EuroBasket gold medal. You have played for huge organizations. And of course, you’ve made a great deal of money.
Do you think that your career will be incomplete, lacking even, if you don’t win the EuroLeague championship?
Nikola Mirotic.: Ιt’s a good question. It’s a good question and a tough question. Because, I wouldn’t be fair with myself to compare my career just with ‘winning the EuroLeague trophy’. Because also I was in NBA and I went to the Eastern Conference Finals with the Milwaukee Bucks, with Giannis [Antetokounmpo] when I was playing there. And, also, as you said, I won the EuroBasket, but it was different, with the [Spanish] national team.”
Obviously, I would like to win [the EuroLeague championship] and add that to my, let’s say career. But it’s not something that I will put all the focus of my career into it. Because I had five very good years in the NBA with playing time, four years participating in the playoffs and in every one of those five years I played 20 minutes or more on average. So it’s not just Europe for me.
But I’m still here. I’m still fighting which is very positive, with the goal to win the EuroLeague. I’m a guy of faith and I’m going to believe it, I’m trusting that it might happen.
EH: You’ve joined forces with Mike James this season. I can’t help but notice the similarities. You’re both two of the best players in the EuroLeague over the last 10 years perhaps, especially since you also returned to the competition. You are both former MVPs. And, right now, you are both in the conversation about the best player who have never won the EuroLeague.
Have you talked about it with him. Something like, “Man, we are really missing something and we need to do it now that we are together” ?
N.M.: Yes. We did, we did. It wasn’t something huge. It was a brief conversation because we are both aware of the situation you know. That we’re both missing the EuroLeague title and that are like, let’s say very good players in the competition who are missing this kind of trophy. But the good thing is that we are together now. In the same boat, on the same direction fighting for the sme direction, to achieve something great.
EH: Every time a player of your caliber enters the free agency an alarm goes off. Monaco won against other teams. What made them the most appealing destination for you?
N.M.: Good question. Monaco has been for a few years already in my mind as a potential club that I consider as an option to go. Especially considering the way they were building, the way they each year were getting better as a team. Obviously I built a very good relationship with the president, Mr. Alexey [Fedorychev] over the last few years. Going to Monaco was for me let’s say a natural step after Milano. To give a shot at this, especially the team that’s also missing something this last year, playing in the Final. And for me, many things fell into place to choose Monaco.
EH: Since you returned to the EuroLeague, you were the Alpha on the offense of every team you were a part of, both Barcelona and Milano. Now you have to adjust to a system when sometimes you are not the primary option. Sometimes maybe you’re the secondary option, sometimes maybe you’re the tertiary option.
N.M.: Correct.
EH: There is so much talent on this team. How do you change that chip now especially, that you are 34 to 35?
N.M.: Listen, I’m in a place in my career now in the way that I want to win. I don’t have that much ego that I need to be first, always. I can be first for a certain period of time. I can be, as you said, second, third, fourth, coming off the bench in some game, starting in others.
It doesn’t matter for me now at this moment. Because for me, [the most important thing] is to be healthy and to give the best Mirotic possible in those minutes I play and to also adjust on the team. Because I’m 34 and I’m going to be 35 in a few months. I want to adjust to the team for what the team needs and, obviously, to adjust to what the coach is looking from me.
Like I said, I put that ego on the side but I still have that fire in me. That I know that there’s a lot of good basketball in me but, obviously, I’m not like let’s say first option every time. But I can be the second, third, fifth. It doesn’t matter. But I know I can help the team which is the most important thing.
EH: When you decided to leave the NBA, it was a decision that shocked many people, especially people who weren’t familiar with how a European player perceives his life in the USA compared to his life in Europe and some specifics like the importance of being close to family etc. Many people were shocked because they were like, “Wow, this guys a very solid, very good NBA deal waiting for him but he says no to that deal.” Which is something that doesn’t happen.
Have you realized how many people were shocked and surprised by that decision?
N.M.: I know. I realized. Because, first, my parents and some of my closest friends… they all wanted me to be in the NBA. To take that deal. I had an amazing offer by the Utah Jazz for three years, a guaranteed deal. And I was actually on Chalkidiki, Greece with my family. That was on 28, 29 June [2019]. They sent me the tickets to go to Los Angeles, to meet with them and to sign the deal.
And I went to the airport. And I was thinking about it because I was discussing it wiht my wife a lot. Discussing potentially coming back [to Europe] and everything. Our second son had just been born. And we kinda missed this European lifestyle, being close to the family. And, honestly, I wanted a biggest role as a player.
For me, It wasn’t just about the money at the moment. So I came back from the airport and continued my vacations in Chalkidiki. Then in the next days I signed with Barcelona.
EH: Sorry Utah, Greek beaches are better.
N.M.: I love Greece! Everybody knows that.
EH: What part of the NBA experience did you love the most and what made you feel frustrated the most?
N.M.: Well, overall for me it was a big adjustment coming in as a young – well I was 23 years old from Real Madrid. The individual talent of each of those players was amazing to me. The speed, the high quality of the games they played was just a shock for me.
“Because in the NBA, even the guys who don’t play… you can tell that those guys can be in Europe, playing and averaging 15 – 20 points per game. And they’re sitting on the bench because they like to be there [in the NBA]”
Also, the way they organize everything as clubs, it’s just high quality in all aspects.
What I didn’t like? Maybe too much traveling away from home. Many things are also individual in USA. It’s very individual and I didn’t like that much.
Also, the trash talk, which is very common. When I came there there was so much trash talk even at practice. But after practice, the guys hugged each other and all was normal. I realized that very soon.
Overall it was a good expereicena and a much-needed experience for my life.
EH: You never trash talk?
N.M.: I did, I did. Because after they start talking to you…
EH: It’s just that you aren’t the guy who we’d imagine that he’d trash talk.
N.M.: No, no, I’m not. I’m not even today. Because I like to prove [myself] with my game. When I score on you, it’s enough for you to know. I’m going after you. And I’ll score after again, so you already know that I don’t need to trash talk. That’s my own way.
EH: One of the people who advocated the most about you, who talked really positiviely about you in the NBA was Rajon Rondo.
N.M.: Yes.
EH: And you play with him on two teams, Chicago Bulls…
N.M.: … and New Orleans.
EH: Was he, like, your best buddy in the NBA?
N.M.: Maybe I cannot say the best buddy because Pau Gasol was very, very close to me…
EH: And you were already familar with him.
N.M.: Also, when I came to the NBA, we signed with the Chicago Bulls the same summer. So that was a big help for me when it comes to the adjustment and everything.
But Rajon was a key role player for me when I was playing there and because he really always trusted me. He was always trying to find me open to shoot, and when I didn’t shoot the ball, he would come to me and he would say, “Listen, if I pass you next time, you don’t shoot, I’m not gonna pass you again.” So he was actually forcing me to shoot and to be like more like offense-oriented with my mindset.
I have very good memories with Rajon and he was the guy who really helped me a lot to, let’s say to become what I became in the NBA.
EH: People like to talk. And they like to say things, apart from the positive comments, about any major player. And sometimes players are followed by reputations.
What do you think is maybe the most common, the biggest misconception, that people, the fans, those who don’t know you especially, have about you? Is there something that you read perhaps and went, ‘Wow what is this guy saying”?
N.M.: For sure. Listen. For sure I didn’t please many people. And also it was not my idea to please people. I try to make my own decision in the best way I can, together with my family. I don’t regret about things. And in the end, you can’t please everybody.
You need to be fair. You need to sometimes take hard decisions. People don’t realize how difficult it is for players, in different sports, to take some decisions. If I offended someone, I’m really sorry, it was never my intention. I always try to do what is the best for me and my family. And lifes continue.
EH: Back in 2023, Olympiacos coach Giorgos Bartzokas said that they made a huge offer for you..
N.M.: True. I didn’t take it. That’s the thing. They made an offer, I didn’t take it and that was it.
EH: Recently, Zeljko Obradovic said the following: “The players are exhausted. The EuroLeague is, in many aspects, tougher than the NBA. They have only that competition while we have several different ones, EuroLeague, ABA League, etc etc. They don’t have time to recover, leading to injuries. We need to discuss the calendar.”
As someone who has been on both sides of the pond, what’s your opinion about this?
N.M.: I agree. I agree, honestly, because it’s been very hard. It’s been very hard. The calendar has been very difficult with the domestic leagues, because now you have many good teams in the domestic leagues that they are preparing for a full week to play against you. And maybe you’re coming for double week and it’s very hard. Or you have to travel somewhere.
We also have Super Cups, Cups, French League Cup (Leaders Cup), now there is many, many trophies during the year that you’re also playing. So there’s no much time to recover. Also imagine all those players who are playing for their national teams. So it’s perhaps like eleven months of basketball, constantly full time.
I don’t like that because now often you can see more big injuries. People are getting injured a lot. You have late games, late travels everything. We need someone, sspecially talking about the organization of EuroLeague – someone who needs to think more about the players and players’ health. Because there are a lot of things that can be done differently and at least try to prevent a little bit those big injuries. Because it has been very, very demanding.
EH: Many people don’t think about it except only when the time comes. I know that you love farming, you love your animals. So what’s going to be for Nikola Mirotic post-playing? Something basketball related or your farm?
N.M.: It could be [something basketball related]. Βecause I love basketball and I’m very passionate guy about that and I know I can help also after basketball in some different ways. But it’s not something that I’m thinking honestly right now because I’m still in the playing mode.
But for me the priority is going to be that whatever job I take, it’s the job that will allow me to spend a lot of time with my family because now I’m so much away, like all of the guys. And I will not take some job that will, like, take me again like so far away from my family.
EH: I want to finish with the “obligatory” Vassilis Spanoulis question. You played against him when he was playing, you had some epic battles in big games including in the 2013 EuroLeague championship game.
N.M.: He won the Final, I was with Real Madrid.
EH: And now you are being coached by him. Do you find it weird, do you find it strange?
N.M.: Well, sometimes it’s weird when I see him there, when he wants to demonstrate something to us, some action… he’s very quick still. Very explosive. I’m thinking: Give this guy a jersey, he can still play.
I’m definitely excited because I know him as a person as well during those years that I played against him. I was able to meet him more as a person. For him to become my coach is something very positive for me. Because he wants to build something as a coach and I have business to do as a player. So I think it’s a good thing for both of us that he can help me, I can help him in that. And I hope that we can succeed together as a team.
And it’s a blessing to have a Greek-Orthodox coach on my team. Someone who I respect as a player and obviously I respect him a lot as a coach.
EH: Thank you very much, Nikola for this conversation. I enjoyed it a lot.
N.M.: Me too.