Nikola Jokic’s Insane Behind-the-Back Crosscourt Pass Stuns Fans – “He’s Playing 4D Chess”

Nikola Jokic's passing is already world-renowned. But the Denver Nuggets superstar continues to stun fans with every new one.

Nikola Jokic’s Insane Behind-the-Back Crosscourt Pass Stuns Fans – “He’s Playing 4D Chess”

Nikola Jokic against the Jazz (Image via NBA/X)

The NBA preseason is underway, and generally, most superstars tend to avoid the first couple of games. Or they play a few minutes, just to get their conditioning going before taking on more minutes. The latter is what Nikola Jokic did when the Utah Jazz came to town.

This is another slightly retooled squad the Serbian star is playing with, after losing a few key contributors from last season. At the same time, he has to adjust to new teammates.

As always, the goal is to contend for a championship, and that is why the 31-year-old wanted to hit the ground running early. After all, the offense runs through him. That means he needs to get back into playing rhythm with the regular season set to start in three weeks.

After ending last season early in the first round, he focused on learning his teammates’ tendencies. That is why the eight-time All-Star preferred to spray passes over scoring on his own. That explains why he finished the game with just one shot attempt and a couple of free throws.

Despite that, the 2023 champion still managed to provide a highlight that has already lit up the NBA’s social media pages. It was midway through the first quarter when Nikola Jokic had the ball in his hands and was backing down fellow European, Lauri Markkanen.

After surveying the floor, the Nuggets superstar swung the ball behind his back. It was not a near-field pass. Rather, it was to the opposite baseline, where Cameron Johnson was standing. To complete the highlight, the latter fortunately managed to score the three-pointer.

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Fans left in awe after Nikola Jokic continues to show his exemplary passing skills

It is not a shock to basketball fans whenever such clips appear on social media. Nikola Jokic’s passing proficiency is already widely regarded as maybe some of the best in the world.

But for him to execute that pass to Cameron Johnson with perfection, and hoodwink three Jazz defenders while doing so, left social media in disbelief. They came up with all sorts of reactions, mostly revealing how this pass left fans in awe. Check out examples of those reactions below.

Nikola Jokic’s Utah Jazz went on to lose this preseason game. But those 14 minutes he played were probably enough to understand how new teammate DeMar DeRozan operates. The Nuggets will need the veteran’s scoring if they are to have a chance this season.

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Horse racing fan Nikola Jokic enjoys watching Ralphie the Buffalo run around Folsom Field

Before this preseason game, the Denver Nuggets hosted Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during practice. It seems the NFL Hall of Famer probably left some sideline tickets for the team, as they arrived at Folsom Field to watch the Buffs take on Texas Tech.

Nikola Jokic and Nuggets at Buffaloes' game
Nikola Jokic and Nuggets at Buffaloes’ game (Image via Ryan Greene DNVR/X)

However, it was not the game that Nikola Jokic seemed to take in the most. Instead, something he could relate to caught his attention even before a ball was kicked.

It was during the pregame promotions when Ralphie the Buffalo, Colorado’s live mascot, appeared on the field. The Nuggets center’s eyes were fixed the entire time the bison went through his horseshoe pattern run.

Towards the end, even a smile broke out on his face, knowing how hard these animals can run. After all, he revels whenever his horses win races back home in Sombor. That is why he probably related to watching Ralphie rather than the eventual loss the Buffaloes faced.

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