Neno Dimitrijevic: «A free throw shot is the easiest shot in basketball»

Interview

19.10.2023

UNICS point guard Nenad DIMITRIJEVIC revealed the secret of the crushing victory over Uralmash (94:67), commented on his personal record for career assists (14 assists), shared his attitude to the fact that he scored 10 of his 12 points from the free throws line, outlined the goal of the Kazan team for the season, and also answered the question is whether he received offers from Euroleague clubs in the summer.

– A great victory for us. We showed a really serious game. We knew that Uralmash was a strong team. But when we act with such concentration in defense and offense, it is extremely difficult to beat us, especially at home. Today we proved it. We need to keep it up.

Did I score 10 of my 12 points from the free throws line? A free throw shot is the easiest shot in basketball. That's why I'm happy that I managed to complete 10 attempts today.

14 assists is my personal career record for assists? Thanks to my teammates who made this achievement possible. I have good teammates who score open shots. I am very happy about this!

How did you manage to get in shape quickly after a two-week break caused by illness and injury? We haven't practiced for about 4-5 days. When you have prepared for the season, such a period of time outside the training process is not very unsettling. Of course, the first few days after the illness were difficult, but then we had a full week of training in preparation for the match in Minsk. We played a good game in the capital of Belarus, caught the rhythm and, I think, we are in great shape now.

We are happy to prove every day that we are champions. But last season's title is history. A new championship has begun. We need to keep our feet on the ground and keep working as hard as ever. In my opinion, we played 3 great matches and showed a serious game, especially in defense. We hope to continue in the same way.

Did I receive offers from Euroleague clubs in the summer? It doesn't matter which teams wanted me in the offseason. The main thing is that I was happy at UNICS. That's what became decisive. I felt at home here, everyone treated me with respect. That's why I decided to stay in Kazan and prove again that I can play at a high level and be the leader of the team. I am happy with this decision and I hope that we will be able to defend the championship title – that is our goal.