In a season where Nikola Jokic continues to dominate NBA headlines, new revelations about the Denver Nuggets superstar’s unlikely path to basketball greatness have emerged, painting a picture of a reluctant champion who nearly chose horses over hoops.
Recent statistics demonstrate Jokic’s continuous excellence, with only unexpected sources challenging his numbers. In a notable achievement, Detroit Pistons’ Jalen Duren recently outperformed Jokic in rebounds, securing 22 boards in a single game against the Chicago Bulls—surpassing Jokic’s season-high of 20 rebounds against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
However, the story behind Jokic’s rise to NBA stardom is even more remarkable than his statistics. Mike Singer, a former Denver Post reporter and current Nuggets front office member, claims that Jokic’s relationship with basketball was far from romantic.
“He hated practice,” Singer reveals in his new book, “Why So Serious?: The Untold Story of NBA Champion Nikola Jokic.” “The conditioning aspect of it, he hated it. There were times when he faked injuries to get out of practice. His teammates were aware of his intense dislike for running.
Perhaps the most telling anecdote finds Jokic in the middle of a horse track, training horses, while his teammates were running laps for conditioning. When his teammates begged him to join their running, he merely lifted his feet off his chariot and mimicked jogging, quipping, “This is the best you’re going to get from me.”
The turning point came through an unusual ultimatum from Branislav Jokic, Nikola’s father. The elder Jokic, along with other mentors, made a strategic decision: they would only allow Nikola to work with horses if he committed to basketball training. This tough-love approach proved transformative, ultimately steering the young Serbian toward his basketball destiny.
What makes this story even more intriguing are the “what-ifs” that could have dramatically altered NBA history. Singer’s reporting reveals that the Nuggets came close to creating a European super-team, nearly trading for Luka Doncic in the 2018 draft and almost acquiring Jrue Holiday in 2020. The proposed Doncic deal included Gary Harris and two first-round picks in discussions with the Sacramento Kings, while the Holiday trade reportedly fell through due to time constraints.
Jokic’s achievements today are impressive: a career average of 20.9 points per game, three MVP titles, a Finals MVP, and a championship with the Nuggets. The once-reluctant basketball player has transformed into one of the sport’s most dominant forces, leading the league in rebounds and assists while driving Denver’s championship aspirations.
The 29-year-old Serbian’s journey from a horse-loving youth to an NBA superstar serves as a reminder that greatness sometimes comes from unexpected places—and occasionally needs a gentle push in the right direction. While Jokic may still harbor his love for horses, basketball fans worldwide can thank Branislav Jokic’s pivotal decision that helped shape one of basketball’s most unique and compelling success stories.
As the Nuggets continue their championship defense, one thing remains clear: the boy who once preferred horse tracks to hardwood has become an undeniable force in basketball history, proving that sometimes the most reluctant heroes make the most remarkable champions.