By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Danilo Gallinari reflected deeply on his 14-year NBA journey, offering unique insights into his time playing alongside a young Nikola Jokic in Denver. In an interview with HoopsHype posted Wednesday, he reaffirmed his view that the sheer scale of the Serbian center’s trajectory was hard to map out, though the raw talent was undeniable.
“Yeah, I knew he was gonna be a great player,” mentioned the retired player. “I didn’t know he was gonna be a three-time MVP, but I knew he was gonna be a great player, and you could see that the franchise wanted to go in that direction.”
Beyond the team’s shift in focus, Gallinari cherished being an established veteran presence during that developmental era. The Joker’s impact was so profound that the Italian even placed him on his all-time Top 5 list alongside legends like Michael Jordan and LeBron James.
Furthermore, Gallinari discussed how front offices still navigate the unpredictable nature of scouting talent overseas. “I talk to Tim Connelly all the time, and he’s like, ‘Well, they think I’m the best because I was able to get Nikola Jokic, but then I make a mistake, and all of a sudden I’m not the best anymore’. It happens to everybody,” he said.
Beyond his bond with Jokic, the former forward emphasized the enduring camaraderie among European athletes. “We are pretty close,” he stated.
Gallinari explicitly pointed to his enduring connection with Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo as a prime example of this tight-knit community. “I talked to Giannis a couple of weeks ago. I’m pretty close with a lot of guys,” he added.
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