NBA FINALS: CELTICS VS. WARRIORS

June 1, 2022

Nemanja Bjelica

Golden State Warriors

Media Day

Q. What has this experience been like for you this year on this team now you've reached the Finals?

NEMANJA BJELICA: I mean, it's a blessing. It's amazing feeling. When I was a kid, you know, I always dream about this moment. Now here I am here fighting for playing Finals. You know, for obviously Warriors, it's pretty much amazing like I said before.

I'm happy to be here. We have, like, great opportunity to win. That's it.

Q. The leadership this group has here, how good is it to have those guys be a veteran presence, to be the leaders of this team, to make sure they still have confidence even if you happen to have a bad game?

NEMANJA BJELICA: Yeah, that's why this team is special. They know what they're doing. They've been doing this for, like, last 10 years. How can I say? Being on maybe one of the best sports organizations in the world, and I'm not talking just about basketball. It's pretty amazing the things what they did past years.

It was pretty much easy to adjust to the team. Like I said, I am really blessed to be part of this organization. Everybody's excited.

Q. What was it like contributing like you did in Game 5, hitting that three? What was that like being a part of getting the team to this point?

NEMANJA BJELICA: It was important for me. You know, sometimes when you don’t play you don't feel yourself, that game was huge for me. I mean, you just got to be ready. I know sometimes it's hard, they say you got to be professional. But with this group of guys, you know, everybody's happy. Like even if I don't play, I was getting my work in, getting ready for opportunity because I knew when I came here, when I sign, I know why I came here.

Like now at the end, all that hard work pays off. But we still have one more series, and we'll see.

Q. The chaos of all of this, what is it like to experience it, Media Day, the Finals, just the pressure, the attention? Seems so different than anything else.

NEMANJA BJELICA: I mean, it's supposed to be like this, right ?

We have a lot of players who are, like, been through these situations. Of course, everybody excited. We just cannot be, like, distracted. Sometimes it's hard to focus on your work when you read all social media. But that's also, like, part of our job.