CHARLOTTE – All-Star weekend doesn’t allow for much down time.
On top of participating in the Skills Challenge on Saturday and Sunday’s All-Star Game, Nuggets center Nikola Jokic led dozens of NBA hopefuls through drills and shooting sessions while coaching in the league’s Basketball Without Borders Global Camp on Friday on the campus of Queens University in Charlotte.
Jokic was engaged, teasing and blocking shots of several of the 39 international prospects, but he said he has no coaching in his future.
“No, no,” Jokic said with a laugh. “Just imagine I need to tell someone to do something that he cannot do.”
Nikola Jokic coaching at for NBA All-Star weekend in Charlotte.
— Mike Singer (@msinger)
Still, Jokic said there was significant value in exposing prospects to NBA coaching.
“I think itap a really good opportunity for young kids just to compete with guys all over the world, just to see different types of players, different cultures,” Jokic said. “I think itap just important to see where they’re at. Some of these guys are probably going to be in the NBA, some of them probably aren’t going to play basketball. You never know. Itap about sacrifice, skill, you never know. But itap really good for them just as an experience.”
More work from Joker: Finish with your left!
— Mike Singer (@msinger)
This past summer, Jokic and Nuggets guard Gary Harris took part in the first Basketball Without Borders event in Serbia. According to the NBA, 27 former campers were on opening-night NBA rosters this season.
“Thatap why I love this camp,” Jokic said. “They are bringing the talent, they are working together. I think itap good for young players just to see where they’re at.”
As for any wisdom Jokic might’ve imparted on the prospects?
“I cannot teach them something like for one day or for one hour,” Jokic said. “But yes, just to show them and tell them how hard it is to get here.”
