Nikola Jokic is the new MVP final in the NBA for the 2022-2023 season. However, the Serbian striker had to go through a long period of depression and even wanted to give up basketball, just to have the success he is today.
The 2022-2023 season officially marks a new chapter in Nikola Jokic’s career, when he brought home the highest individual title that MVP final, and the championship for Denver. This is a very worthy achievement when looking at the impressive stats, as well as the influence that the Serbian striker brings to the Denver Nuggets’ squad.
However, to reach that successful milestone is a whole process of the tireless striving of Nikola Jokic, when the starting point of this striker was only the 41st Pick and even “addicted to Coca Cola”. childhood obesity. Besides, Nikola Jokic also once wanted to give up basketball just to focus on his only passion as a child, which was horse racing.
This is a completely true story, revealed by Vic Lombardy, the key commentator for the Denver Nuggets matches on Altitude TV, in an interview with Nikola Jokic. An extremely unexpected story was told by the new MVP of the NBA, when he was bored with basketball at the age of 12 and just wanted to give it all up.
“I really gave up at 12 or 14 years old, didn’t even train for 6 months. You ask why? Because I’m more passionate about horse racing. My dad was the one who convinced me. But after just one game, I asked the coach to let me rest the second half just to attend another horse race,” Nikola Jokic humorously recounted.
This is not the first time Nikola Jokic has shared this story with the press, the first time was in 2016 when he was still just an ordinary player in the NBA arena. According to him, although he has chosen the path of playing professional basketball, his affection for the aristocratic sport has not faded in his psyche.
Nikola Jokic has yet to explain any reason why he persisted in returning and pursuing professional basketball to this day. What fans do know, is that Nikola Jokic had to go through an arduous process of training, overcoming temptations in the past, as well as facing many challenges in an environment only for players. The highest peak in basketball.
It will be a long time before the new NBA can see the appearance of a second Nikola Jokic, who possesses a very characteristic play style when it is a combination of striker and defender in the same body. The MVP title will be the biggest mental boost for Nikola Jokic to reach another goal when bringing home the championship title for himself and the Denver Nuggets team.