Tag: Roy Rana

When you first saw Nikola Jokic, what did you think of him? 10-times Nike Hoop Summit World Team Roy Rana: To be honest with you, I thought he was a nice player, but I never thought he would become who he is. Now, you know, he showed some flashes. But he clearly wasn’t a dominant player from start to finish at the Hoop Summit. I think he was an acquired taste. And I wasn’t advanced enough to be able to see the greatness that was in him at that stage in his development and his growth. So you know, full kudos to Denver and their staff to be able to kind of take a bet on him and then watch him grow and help him develop because he’s clearly one of the great stories of the Hoop Summit.

Roy Rana: But I will tell you that there weren’t too many people in the gym when he first got going that would have thought he’d become what he is today. So I was impressed by him just like every other player. But he didn’t stand out in any way that would make me think that he was going to be a future MVP.

What about Joel Embiid and the first time you saw him? Roy Rana: It was really in some ways very similar, because a year before he was at prep school in Florida, not even playing. And from what I remember, he might have even been a late addition to the group and he came in it was obvious had some real physical skills. It’s tough with big guys, it’s tough to really project because, in some ways, they’re still very much in the developmental phase, even physically. But what he did have is he did have all of those great personality characteristics you need, like a sense of humor. He was very witty, he was very engaging, just a great guy to be around. We had a lot of fun together, I got a chance to travel with him. Joel and I still stay connected. We talk every once in a while, we’ll stay connected. We’ll get in touch with each other. So it’s been amazing to watch his growth as well. Again, did I think that he would become who he is now? No, but I’m certainly not surprised with how engaging he is as a young man and it’s great to see. Both stories are incredible. They really are.