NBA Players Who Couldn't Speak English At First

International stars like Nikola Jokic, Dirk Nowitzki, Yao Ming, Alperen Sengun, Mehmet Okur, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Timofey Mozgov and others entered the NBA not understanding or barely speaking English. Even though they learned the language later, their first interviews were really funny.
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Whose first interview was the funniest? 😅 Let us know in the comments below ✍ If you enjoyed the video, help us grow by hitting the like button & subscribing to our channel! 🙌 For more content like this visit: basketnews.com Lastly, don't forget to follow us on social media: Twitter: twitter.com/basketnews_com/ Instagram: instagram.com/basketnews/ Inquiries for partnership: [e-mail]

[@dasiro]

you're having an entire video about funny (talking) European big men without including the biggest of them all: Boban

[@jrexx2841]

Shaq and Yao would make a great Rush Hour: Giant Edition

[@Xenon-cb5re]

YES.

[@aleksandar3771]

You didn't mention Vlade Divac. During the media conference after being drafted, the lakers GM even made a joke about how Vlade didn't understand a single word he was saying to him

[@picklejuice4638]

Ilgauskas inner Lithuanian gopnik accidently came out during that dinner lol

[@G505]

This is grade A Content. I was meaning to compliment you guys, during the world cup, on how brave you are to do a podcast in your non native tongue. But you're definitely C2. 😉. Well done as usual

[@bigdawgfrm4108]

Yo I hope y’all understand where I’m coming from with this but as a black man who been around many all kinds of people from everywhere I find it hilarious somtimes when a foreigner learns English from us black Americans. In a funny way we always teach them the wrong shit. Like “wassup yo, I’m just chilling dawg” or seeing luka say “no cap” is hilarious we’re such bad influencers sometimes😂

[@zorglub76]

I started following Jokic in 2017 and I could only hear him in interviews where he spoke English in his deep and rough voice. A year later I heard him speaking Serbian, and it was totally different. His voice is softer and higher pitch when talking Serbian compared to when he speaks English..

[@shys5884]

People from region where he is from tend to have higher pitch words (a lot of them) and to talk slowly to very slowly.

[@tonijelecevic9238]

He let's his skills speak for him

[@Olterior]

It's a common issue for any non native speaker. Where your native tongue comes to you naturally as you grow up and start to speak, 2nd or 3rd languages are often learned in a more formated way(school,tutor,college etc.) which leads to this situation where the person is unable to express their emotions properly through speech, so they end up sounding somewhat monotone. I am a native Lithuanian speaker, but have lived in an english speaking country for most of my life. Whilst day to day you can't tell I'm not a native speaker, if I try to be expressive(Like sing a song etc.) I sound very flat. Yet when singing in Lithuanian I have way more range. Yet if you asked me which language am I more comfortable speaking, I would say English. It is my primary language that I use daily, with Lithuanian reserved to talking with extended family most of the time.

[@Xenon-cb5re]

Higher pitched* Please speak English.

[@shys5884]

Sorry sir. no speak ingles gud

[@modded321]

Vlade Divac my guys

[@amycarter8497]

Wow! Loved this vid. So curious about our wonderful players from other countries. Would love more content on the differences between respective cultures. It’s fun to learn and makes one feel closer to the players. Thank you 😊

[@GornoSoly]

Your channel is the best basketball channel and I follow a lot of channels. Swear.

[@GornoSoly]

And yea, my english is broke too I know 😅

[@BasketNews_com]

Thanks, my brother. 😎

[@markomarkovic5729]

Žarko Paspalj told in an interview that he didn't know a word of English when he signed for the Spurs in 1989.

[@Soren_Skarsgard]

Is he serb or mtNegrian or sumpin else?

[@markomarkovic5729]

@@Soren_Skarsgard He's from Montenegro, but declares himself as a Serbian. He now lives in Belgrade and has Serbian citizenship. He was the vice-president of the Serbian Olympic Committee, and I think he now holds a position in the Basketball Federation of Serbia.

[@Soren_Skarsgard]

@@markomarkovic5729 Ok, thanks bro... živio! 👍❤💪

[@doddysyq]

like always great content with nice topic, the Ilgauskas's conversation from EnglishBaby channel was hilarious

[@Kokuswolf]

That's true, with six beer everyone speaks fluent foreign languages. Six beer for the listener and every language barrier is broken.

[@baldpdeng2035]

Giannis Antetokounmpo would be a good addition here. He really struggled early on

[@Xenon-cb5re]

Meh. If you speak Greek, English isn't really necessary.

[@baldpdeng2035]

διαφωνώ@@Xenon-cb5re

[@axljonsson1716]

His parents are from Nigeria and they spoke English in his home

[@djordjespasic2179]

You deserve more subscribers. Very good video. Keep it that way!

[@henningts]

Nowitzki always spoke English. He went to highschool in Germany, so he had English in school for 6 or 7 years. Did you see his interviews at the nike hoop summit?

[@familyguyguy7520]

Pass the fu**ing potatoes💀

[@Milossinchubure]

Actually, Zidrunas didn't sound so bad, accent is present, but form of sentences were correct. I don't know why it is strange to US guys, like itnis naturally to learn English instantly upon arrival into NBA?

[@davidsubotin7122]

I think Vlade Divac is missing on this list

[@1draigon]

Yao laughed at that first joke as well because let’s be honest it’s made up but super funny nonetheless

[@jeremylynn8243]

If i was sengun i would delay speaking in English as long as i can and keep on using that fine translator😅

[@shmykolas]

Damn whos dis guy speakin Basketnews always comin up with some fayaaaa

[@livehockey09]

Y’all missed the most hilarious one. Valanciunas

[@jrm8853]

I think Rui Hachimura should be in this one but still, great video!

[@nenadireland]

You can add Dragic, Stojakovic and Divac to the list.

[@mantasbartasevicius3553]

Jonas Valanciunas, at the draft was hilarious :D

[@Daguhl]

Anyone can learn English, it is not a particularly complicated language. Much funnier than the foreign players who speak English are the movies and series from the USA where the actors speak fake German (for whatever reason they don't use real German actors.). A little fun fact: English is a language based on Germanic. The first settlers in England were basically German-Anglo-Saxons. Even in America you can still see German influences in the language, such as Kindergarten, Doppelganger, Stein, Angst and more. I hope I haven't destroyed anyone's world view and thanks for the video BasketNews.

[@Ben01tM]

Most of the vocab though is romance in origin. Not really that surprising when you look at the ruling class throughout the ages.

[@leanderquest]

The commentators didn't learn how to pronounce Nowitzki's name though....Dirk is pronounced as "Deerk" as in "deer" or "beer"...

[@ivan.kecman]

divac admited in hoop cities: belgrade that he didn't speak english when he was drafted

[@BugattiChiron_SS]

2:34 movie name?

[@Hinkenzo]

Sengun was trash talking before he could actually speak proper English lol

[@hipking23]

Kristaps porzingis English is perfect. Hardly hear an accent

[@Rokixu]

Bezakavicius back on track?

[@vladimirtoskov2320]

You need Vlade Divac on this list 😂😂😂

[@fajter00]

Jokić was severely punished by NBA officials for language, when he picked up phrase "no homo"

[@alrosan3421]

Argentinian Leandro Bolmaro from the wolves

[@axljonsson1716]

I'm pretty sure Peja couldn't speak any English when he came over.

[@frequentlyoffline3917]

If only there were media people who knew Baltic, Slavic or Balkan languages.

[@markomarkovic5729]

Slavic languages are spoken in the Balkans + Greek, Romanian and Albanian, but I guess bball isn't too popular in Romania and Albania.

[@milosvojinovic5710]

Vlade Divac

[@gorila987k]

Vlade Divac x)

[@milansilic8024]

Oh you missed big time... Vlade Divac

[@MihailaT.]

Vlade Divac missing from the list

[@hatsuhioki9361]

Kai Jones is born in USA still in league and cant speak English.

[@mzpogi]

English is just a language not a test of intelligence

[@Xenon-cb5re]

yeah it's both.

[@kri1kri136]

Who cares you wouldnt learn serbian in a 10 years

[@nikaragva300]

No one speaks serbian

[@Soren_Skarsgard]

Pichka mater!

[@kri1kri136]

Hehe

[@wotplays7643]

For all of us who understand broken English better original

[@KappoDB]

Vlade Divac, he didn't speak ANY English

[@lujkarijeka2760]

Tabak had a great playing carieer? Being part of a roster on great teams, yes. Playing, not so much. Arapović was a beast compared to him. 😅

[@Soren_Skarsgard]

Arap je zakon... šta imaš protiv tabaka?

I think it is very disturbing listen to sLovenian coach speaking English to sLovenian national basketball team during the timeouts... even though Mike Tobey interpreter is right next to him. And I also think thet if anyone on our team couldnt speak any English at all... they would play more basketball and less talking with referees in last World Cup.

[@nenadireland]

That's precisely why Serbian players don't want foreigners on the Serbian team.

[@ilijabrasic4999]

Serbia

[@millg7252]

Jokic still can't speak english 😢

[@OZUndead]

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