| Ilic Looks to Follow in Krstic's Footsteps |
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by Chris Creed
For NBA rookies, everything about that first season is new. A new coach, new teammates, new opponents and new plays. But the one thing that is not usually new for most NBA freshman is the language.
That is the challenge facing Mile Ilic, the Nets’ second-round pick in 2005 from Serbia.
“This is a huge learning curve for this kid,” Nets General Manager Ed Stefanski said. “He understands you but I think he is a little shy right now in trying to speak the language.”
During his first media session after signing a multi-year contract, Ilic was reluctant to answer reporters’ questions in English. Fortunately for Ilic, there is another seven-foot center from Serbia on the Nets roster who stepped in to serve as interpreter.
“I know how he is feeling because when I came here I didn’t understand anything,” Nenad Krstic said about fellow Serb Ilic. “I had ‘Z’. So I look at him I see me two years ago.”
The ‘Z’ Krstic is referring to is former Nets player Zoran Planinic. Planinic, who was from neighboring Croatia, took the then 20-year-old Krstic under his wing and helped him get acclimated to the American culture and language. Ilic, who is two years older than Krstic was when he came into the League, said the transition will be smoother with Krstic by his side.
“With Nenad and my agent, who is Serbian, it will easier,” Ilic said through Krstic. “It’s a good thing because I can trust him at practice.”
Despite coming from the same country, the two only recently met. When asked how long they have known each other Krstic answered, “20 days. I knew (of) him and he knew (of) me but we never met.”
Stefanski said there was even some confusion on the part of the coaching staff.
“Our coaches thought Krstic knew Ilic growing up,” the general manager said. “They think if you are from Serbia everybody knows each other. They don’t have a clue how big Serbia is.”
With the help of Krstic and the other veterans on the team, Head Coach Lawrence Frank hopes Ilic will acclimate himself quickly to America and the NBA.
“We talk about a mentoring system where the veterans assume some of the responsibility because we rise and fall together,” Frank said. “We are counting on Nenad to mentor Mile.
“Whether it’s an American player going to Europe or a European player coming to the United States, it takes about a year to just make that adjustment. So hopefully Nenad can help speed up his learning curve.”
Krstic knows that all to well. The third-year player said it took him that entire first season before he felt comfortable.
With the 2006-07 season just around the corner, Krstic has been trying to prepare Ilic for his first NBA campaign.
“I told him he needs to be patient,” Krstic said. “Forget about it if you are not playing. You need to be positive.
“I told him he needs to work hard and if he works hard, good thing are going to happen.”
Good things have certainly happened to Krstic over his first two seasons, and Nets management is hoping success becomes a Serbian tradition in New Jersey.
Used courtesy of: njnets.com |
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