BELGRADE (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) – If Nikola Jokic wrote a handbook with tips for basketball rookies it would become a best-seller, probably as instant as the impact he had in the NBA after arriving last summer and on the senior Serbian national team, with which he debuted this week.

The 21-year-old Denver Nuggets big man is Serbia's top rebounder (7 rpg) and second-leading scorer (14 ppg) at the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade going into Friday's semi-final with the Czech Republic.

When speaking to FIBA.com however he made clear he is not looking for special praise and he is certainly not patting himself on the back.

FIBA.com: What have you enjoyed the most about your senior Serbia debut apart from the big role you have on the team?
Jokic: It's a great honour to play for your national team, you have all the fans, all your countrymen supporting you and that helps you play better. Hopefully, it will help us improve enough to make it to Rio. I didn't think about my role at all, I don't care if it is big or small, I just want to help the team win and that's what I am doing on the court.

FIBA.com: Is Friday's semi-final in front of this expectant crowd your biggest challenge so far?
Jokic: It's going to be a tough game, because they did not come here for a holiday. But it will be hard on them just as it will be hard for us, so I think it will be a nice game for the fans. They have a couple of players that we need to pay special attention to like [Tomas] Satoransky, whom is going to play for the Washington Wizards, and of course Jan Vesely.

FIBA.com: Did it take you a while to adapt back into the European style of play?
Jokic: A little bit yes, because playing 82 games in the NBA style is a long season so it was harder for me to adapt back to how I played before. But after the first quarter, maybe the first game, it all came back.

FIBA.com: Do you get more grief from the veterans as a rookie in the NBA or as a rookie on the national team?
Jokic: It's been pretty much the same, not a problem at all. It's only that as a rookie on Serbia you feel the pride and honour of representing your country. I adapted really quickly to them, they adapted to me, so it's all been good.

FIBA