Double MVP, NBA champion and potentially the best player in the world today, Nikola Jokic has become essential in the big league. But for how much longer? One of his peers actually says that the Serbian giant might not fare well on the floors…
In many ways, Nikola Jokic is not your average basketball player. While most stars aim for individual trophies or even rings, the Nuggets center seems to have nothing to do with it. Sacred with his frankness last June, he created a buzz by declaring that he wanted to return to the country immediately, even if it meant missing the champion’s parade… because he simply wanted to attend his horses’ races.
Besides that, the Joker has never hidden the fact that he saw his career on the court as a simple job, not seeming to particularly enjoy being one of the best players in the world. This is why some people think he won’t stay in the NBA for long. Guest of Bill Simmons’ podcast recently, his former teammate Austin Rivers is even convinced that he will soon be gone:
Austin Rivers cashes in on Nikola Jokic’s future
Austin Rivers believes that Nikola Jokic won’t play in the NBA for a long duration
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) September 21, 2023
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No chance (that Jokic plays until he is 39). I see him playing for another 5 or 6 years. He will play until he is 34 and after that, I think he will return to Serbia. I don’t want to say more but I don’t see him playing in the NBA until he’s 39. He didn’t even want to go to the champion parade! Two days after we lost in the playoffs against the Warriors (in 2022, editor’s note), he was already gone.
He doesn’t care about American pop culture or celebrity. That’s not what interests him. He’s already champion, All-Star, MVP, he signed with the supermax… He’s going to sign yet another contract like that and then he’s going to leave.
The crazy thing about this story is that this prediction doesn’t even seem that crazy. Often criticized for his comments, Rivers was indeed supported by a good number of Internet users:
Jokic plays basketball for a living but basketball truly doesn’t define him.
He rather chill with his horses in Serbia. And I don’t blame him. The NBA is exhausting.
— Maximone (@notoriousmaxx) September 21, 2023
Jokic plays basketball for a living, but basketball really doesn’t define him. He prefers to relax with his horses in Serbia. And I don’t blame him. The NBA is exhausting.
A priori, Nikola Jokic is indeed not the type to force himself to prolong his basketball career. That Austin Rivers is right on this one would not be that surprising… Everything will obviously depend on the Joker himself and the next seasons that he will spend under the colors of the Nuggets.
2023-09-22 15:50:00
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