Many Beijing fans don’t know about Nick Johnson, the foreign aid of Beijing Shougang guard. After all, he was only 42 in the NBA draft in 2014, and he only played 28 games on behalf of the rockets. Nick’s stay in NBA is not long. He spent most of his time in the American development league, the longest of which was the team affiliated to the Spurs, playing more than three seasons in total. In the Development League team of the Spurs, Nick led the team to win the championship and was also the most valuable player in the finals. Other champions, Nick played in several European teams. Last season, he was in France. Currently, he is in CBA, such as Hanlan of Tianjin team and Cummings of Guangsha team. They are all his opponents last season.
Now Nick is in isolation in Shanghai. He accepted my interview on the 9th. He talked about why he chose Shougang team, what role he hoped to play in the new season and what responsibilities he would take, his summer training and his growing experience. The following is the interview content.
Song Xiang: Why did you choose to join Shougang team in the new season?
Nick: I am a person who is addicted to basketball, I also have some attention to CBA. When Marbury played for Shougang, I began to pay attention to him. Because I grew up in Phoenix and Marbury played in the Suns, I was very concerned about him. At the same time, some of my former teammates, including Liaoning foreign aid Ferg, played here. I think this league is very suitable for me. More importantly, I chose Shougang because this team is great and competitive. I am very excited about joining Shougang team.
Song Xiang: Do you know that Beijing fans have high expectations for foreign aid from Shougang defenders? Do you feel extra pressure? For example, Lin Shuhao once played for this team twice, you need to be in this position now.
Nick: I think I will face a lot of pressure, but this pressure is not the successor of who I am, but how to lead this team forward and how to achieve this team’s excellent goal. This is the stress.
Song Xiang: Beijing fans don’t know much about you. What kind of player are you and what are your advantages?
Nick: I am players with strong physical quality, I can do anything on the court. I will put my teammates in the first place to win the game. I will do anything to ensure that the team will win. I also like to compete and try my best to win the match. Therefore, my goal in the new season is to help the team win more matches, and I will make all changes in order to achieve this goal.
Song Xiang: Fei Ge of Liaoning team was a teammate in college. Did you talk before coming to CBA? There is also a foreign aid from Shougang team. How is the communication between you?
Nick: Yes, before I came here, I talked with many players about the situation here, including the competition environment, rhythm, competitiveness, etc. I have different degrees of understanding. Ferg has always been a mentor in my career. He always gives me a lot of advice and experience to share, and this time it is the same. He told me a lot about the situation here, including how to adapt as soon as possible. We have also had a lot of exchanges with Cliff. We hope to produce chemical reactions as soon as possible in order to play better matches in the new season.
Song Xiang: you have a rich career and have played for many teams. Their characteristics and styles are different. What does this mean for the CBA battle you are about to start?
Nick: I think it will help me, especially my experience in developing the league in the Spurs. This is a team that emphasizes collective and team basketball. Playing here makes me more selfless, and how to play a more comprehensive game in a team. At the same time, the experience of playing in Europe will also benefit me a lot. And all these will help me adapt to CBA as soon as possible.
Song Xiang: last season, you played in the French league and played a relatively comprehensive match, but at the same time, your three-point shooting rate was not very high (less than 30%). Some people would worry about this aspect, what do you think?
Nick: I have been constantly improving my competition and making myself more competitive. I think everyone will see it in the new season.
Song Xiang: Tell me about your summer training.
Nick: my summer training is basically to do some stretching training every morning, which helps my body get ready as soon as possible. I practice shooting in the afternoon, and I always shoot as many shots as possible. I will play some games at night. This is the training rhythm of the day. At the same time, I will also do some yoga to help myself have better flexibility and coordination. I also like climbing and hiking.
Song Xiang: I heard that your hobby is also fishing, which is the same as Liff. Have you had any communication in this field?
Nick: Yes, I like fishing, and so does cliff. I remember that when I signed a contract with Shougang team, the first topic I talked with life was fishing. Haha. By the way, I am looking forward to fishing with him.
Song Xiang: as far as I know, you come from a basketball family, and your late uncle Dennis Johnson (once very famous in NBA, he has won the championship in supersonic and Celtic teams), it has a deep influence on you. Tell me the story between you and him, and who else is your basketball idol?
Nick: Yes, my uncle has a profound influence on me. When I was young, he always told me stories about his confrontation with Jordan and Magic Johnson, as well as the story of his teammates with Big Bird Larry Bird, which made me very fascinated. I remember when I was ten years old, I often tried to challenge him on the court, and we always competed for shooting. And see who has the longest finger rotating ball. These are all my precious memories. I didn’t realize his legendary experience at that time. I only regarded him as my uncle at that time. I want to go back to the past. I must have many questions to ask him.
As for other basketball idols, because I also live in Los Angeles, my idol is Kobe. His love for the competition and his desire for victory have deeply influenced me.