Nikola Jokic Changes Stance on Basketball Taking Championship Over His Horses: “I Care a Lot”

Serbian NBA superstar Nikola Jokic fires back at a popular narrative that he doesn’t care about basketball.

Nikola Jokic Changes Stance on Basketball Taking Championship Over His Horses: “I Care a Lot”

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Nikola Jokic emphasizes his deep care for basketball, countering perceptions of indifference.
  • He plans to continue playing at a high level for as long as he enjoys the game.
  • Jokic's unique style and approach have sparked discussions about his commitment compared to other players.

Over the last few years, Nikola Jokic has elevated himself to become arguably the best player in the NBA. The Denver Nuggets center has won three league MVP awards in the last five seasons. He also helped the Nuggets win their first ever NBA championship in 2023 and was named as the Finals MVP for his historic playoffs run.

Nikola Jokic is must watch TV today. His unique skills and elite IQ have helped him rise from a 2nd-round pick to become a first-ballot Hall of Famer. The Serbian has shown no signs of slowing down after missing 16 games due to injury and is currently averaging 28.7 points, 12.3 rebounds and 10.7 assists.

Ever since Jokic established himself as the one of the top players in the game, the franchise has become accustomed to being a postseason juggernaut. They are equipped to mount a title challenge once again this year as they currently sit at third place in a highly competitive Western Conference standings with a 35-20 record.

There has been some criticism surrounding Jokic’s nonchalant approach to basketball. He was recently criticized by Kevin Durant for not caring about the All-Star Game. In fact, he has shown more emotions for horse-racing back in Serbia.

The three-time MVP sat down for an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews and said that he does care deeply about basketball, and that people may have misunderstood his personality.

I care a lot. I think if you don’t care for winning, you’re not supposed to be in this sport. It’s just my personality, maybe a little bit different in how I accept victory and success, but I think I care about basketball, and I love to play basketball. I enjoy competing. I just accept the success or the defeat differently.

Nikola Jokic via ESPN

Jokic is a player who is not very flashy and does not seem as engaged as some of his peers. He prefers to remain grounded and go about his business, which is to dominate on the court.

Fans react to Nikola Jokic’s reaction to NBA narrative about his attitude

It is a no brainer that one cannot dominate and sustain excellence like Nikola Jokic has over the last few years by not caring for the sport. Every player has their own approach to different things. After Jokic professed his care for the sport, NBA fans took to the internet to express their opinions across social media.

The NBA fans were not surprised by his statements as majority of them believe that the narrative was created by the media houses and social media.

Nikola Jokic plans to play for a long time

Nikola Jokic turned 31 years on Thursday. While the center is one of the dominant players in the league, he has never relied on athleticism and explosiveness to dominate his opponents. He is a player with a high IQ and has an amazing feel to the game. Hence, he may have a long shelf-life compared to most players in the NBA.

Nikola Jokic is still the best overall player in the NBA
Nikola Jokic (Image via Triple 333/X)

Speaking to Malika Andrews, Jokic said he plans to play basketball for quite some time.

To be honest, I think I’m gonna play basketball till I can play at a high level because I enjoy it. I love to play.

Nikola Jokic via ESPN

To further drive his point that he cares about basketball, the Serbian said he planned to play the game for a long time. Nuggets fans will be delighted to hear that their star player does not plan on leaving any time soon. Jokic and the Nuggets will be seen in action on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers.

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