By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
In an appearance on the X&O’s Chat podcast, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic offered a rare glimpse into his early life in Serbia and his unwavering loyalty to the city of Denver. He detailed how his path to greatness began not in a professional arena, but in a physical, often lopsided rivalry with his older brothers.
“Basketball was the first sport I ever trained in,” the Sombor native recalled. “My brothers played, and that’s how I fell in love with it. We had a hoop on our door, and it all started there.”
Jokic described a competitive childhood in Sombor with ‘shoving matches’ where he was often the target of his brothers’ aggression. “I was little, so it was me against the two of them. They’d beat me up and push me around until I’d start crying. My mom would have to step in and tell them to leave me alone, but I’d still be there screaming and crying about it.”
Reflecting on his early professional days at Mega and the scouting interest he drew from European giants like FC Barcelona, Jokic admitted there were times he lacked the typical ‘killer instinct’. “I’ve had moments, even in the NBA, where I just wasn’t aggressive. I wouldn’t even shoot the ball,” he mentioned, attributing it to a unique form of ‘stubbornness’.
The Joker famously slept through his own selection as the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. “My brother called me from New York, celebrating and telling me I’d been drafted, while I was just asleep,” he laughed, noting that at the time, he only followed the league through highlight reels.
Despite his status as a global superstar, Jokic admitted he still battles pre-game jitters. “To this day, I’m nervous when I step on the court. I think any player who isn’t nervous should probably consider a different sport,” he said.
However, that nervous energy has translated into a historic run in Denver, a city he now considers home. When asked if he would ever return to play in Europe, Jokic was definitive.
“No,” he said, despite confirming actively following the EuroLeague. “Nothing against the EuroLeague, Europe, or anything. It’s just that I wouldn’t.”
“I wouldn’t even like to imagine that,” he added on whether he would consider leaving Denver. “I’ve found peace here. My two kids were born here, and my family is here. I’ve built a life. I love it here.”
For Jokic, the bond with the Nuggets transcends mere business. He described the team’s 2023 championship as an achievement built the right way. “We built something together. Even if we never win anything else, that title was organic. It means more to me than anything.”
So far in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, Jokic has averaged 28.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.8 blocks per contest, building a strong bid for a fourth career season MVP award.