Nicolas Batum: "In the NBA, everything is intensified"

keep in mind that the interview was conducted before Game 1

via 20minutes.fr

How would you judge your first NBA season?
Very positively. I love the experience, I don't know how to explain it but in the NBA everything is intensified, crazy things are always happening. In the beginning, I wasn't even supposed to be on the bench, there was even talk of sending me to a secondary league [NBDL]. In the end, I started 75 out of 82 games. I took advantage of injuries, I put in two months to convince everyone. If I had missed this chance the season would have been over for me.

Compared to Le Mans, you're focusing a lot on the defensive end. Do you have to get past that in order to eventually have more offensive freedom?
Initially, the coach saw me as a defender, but now, if I forget to take an open shot I'm going to get yelled at. But I stay in my role, it's not up to me to ask for the ball to try a one-on-one. Maybe that will change with time, but for the moment I concentrate on what the coach asks of me.

You have defended some of the best NBA players. Who is the most impressive?
I played my first NBA game against LeBron James. The guy's a “messiah.” He scored 34 points, which is routine for him. At the end of the game, the coach told me to not worry because he also had experienced difficult nights against Jordan in his time.

What type of coach is McMillan?
He often keeps us in check (recadrer?). We're a team of kids, the youngest in the league. There were five, six games this season when we were in complete tailspin. We were a bit raw (On s’y était un peu crû ?). If you see McMillan on the court, you'd think that he's mean. But he's above all a winner, a great pro, it's not a coincidence that he's one of the four best coaches in the regular season.

Is there a big difference in mentality between an NBA team and a European team?
I was expecting a world even more individualistic, especially with such a young team. But we have succeeded in creating a great team spirit. We often eat together whereas in the NBA it's more “room service” for everyone. It's also because of that that we work well on the court.

Have you experienced any especially tiring moments during the interminable regular season?
Out of 82 games, I admit that I had twenty or so really difficult games. When you play five games in a week on the road, you have to have some [difficult games]. At the end of the year, my shoulder started to hurt, my ankle too and I caught the flu. But I'm happy with myself, I succeeded in playing 79 out of 82 games.

Do you have the time to see the United States?
That depends on the schedule. Sometimes you can have a free morning where you have the time to wander. I was able to explore New Orleans, I liked it in particular the French Quarter that I had heard about.

Don't you get the impression that you spend your life in airports?
No. We travel in a private jet. Generally, we take off from Portland at 3pm, we park our car on the tarmac 15 minutes before, we give them our bags and then we take off. Here, they take care of everything for you, you don't even have to carry your bags. Everything is done so that the player doesn't get tired, so that he only thinks about basketball.