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Nikola Jokic has firmly cemented himself as the best player in the NBA over the past few years, which is especially impressive when you consider there’s a ton of evidence that suggests he doesn’t even like playing basketball—including a hilarious video that was captured after he joined the Nuggets at training camp.
Jokic probably should’ve won his third consecutive MVP award for leading Denver to its first championship in franchise history last season, and while he made it clear he enjoyed the ensuing parade, he was initially pretty annoyed the festivities delayed his return back to Serbia.
The big man does have a pretty dry sense of humor, so while there’s a chance he’s just really committed to a bit about not enjoying basketball despite being one of the most dominant players on the planet, it’s pretty clear he’d prefer to spend his dancing at clubs in his home country and tending to the sizeable stable of racehorses he’s amassed.
The Nuggets will officially kick off their season against the Lakers on October 24th, and there’s no reason to believe Jokic won’t be picking up where he left off once the new campaign gets underway.
Jokic reported to training camp at the start of the month following what he described as a “quiet, boring” summer in Serbia. He may have had to leave his horses back home, but it’s pretty clear that hobby is very much on his mind based on a video of the Nuggets superstar scouting a potential new addition on his phone in the middle of practice.
Nikola Jokic is dedicated to both his crafts 😂 🐎
Take a look back to the beginning of Denver's championship chase and go behind the scenes at Nuggets training camp in episode 1 of 'Bring it Home'.
Watch now on the NBA App: https://t.co/kPJyqKHgye pic.twitter.com/zdkPqmtdNR
— NBA (@NBA) October 17, 2023
Jokic has apparently amassed a pretty sizeable racing portfolio when you consider he told Jamal Murray he currently has 12 horses in his possession (although it took him a few tries to figure out the exact number he owns).
I can’t say I’m eager to see Jokic retire, but at the same time, I’m really looking forward to the second act we’ll almost certainly be treated to when he goes all-in on horse racing after he hangs up his sneakers.