For many basketball gamers, profitable an NBA title is the final word aim. Within the case of three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, it’d simply be the winner’s circle on the race observe.

Jokić’s ardour for horse racing is well-documented, and we noticed one other show of it on Sunday. Again in his house nation of Serbia, Jokić was available to see one in every of his horses win and he instantly was overcome with emotion.

Jokić is understood to have a steely on-court demeanor, however racing horses exhibits a unique aspect of the Denver Nuggets famous person and three-time MVP. Jokić wiped tears from his eyes as he hopped onto the observe to have a good time with the jockey and his horse.

Whereas basketball could also be what pays the payments (and fills the trophy case) for Jokić, it is clear that horse racing holds a particular place in his coronary heart. After the Nuggets received the NBA championship in 2023, Jokić’s father, Branislav, informed the Related Press that he needed to persuade Nikola to pursue basketball over horse racing.

“And I used to inform him: ‘Son, develop into a basketball participant first, and you may develop into an excellent horseman later,'” Branislav Jokić stated.

Over time, Jokić has blended his two passions in some kind or one other. Again in 2023, Jokić introduced Nuggets teammate Aaron Gordon to Serbia to observe some races in his hometown of Sombor.

Later that very same yr, whereas the Nuggets had been on a highway journey in New York, Jokić took the chance to go to the Yonkers Raceway and meet a number of of the horses.