After flaming out of the second spherical of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, when the Denver Nuggets couldn’t sustain with a motivated and defensive-minded Minnesota Timberwolves crew led by Anthony Edwards, three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic selected to symbolize Serbia within the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Though Jokic has notably preferred to disconnect from basketball through the NBA offseason and deal with his harness racing pastime abroad, this 12 months was totally different as he performed for Serbia and helped it come extremely near upsetting Crew USA.
Regardless of shedding twice to the People earlier than going through them within the semifinals, Jokic and firm appeared like a distinct crew totally within the knockout spherical and gave Steve Kerr’s squad all it might deal with, convincing many {that a} historic upset was about to happen and arrange a matchup with France and Victor Wembanyama within the gold-medal sport.
Sadly for Serbia, Jokic and his resilient squad got here up brief in opposition to the US, and he in the end settled for a bronze medal earned with a win in opposition to Germany.
Regardless that the Serbians got here up in need of the gold medal, Jokic reportedly rewarded his teammates with costly Rolex watches, based on Harrison Wind of DNVR Sports activities.
Nikola Jokic reportedly purchased every member of the Serbian Olympic basketball crew a Rolex watch valued at $32,500 — roughly $400,000 for 11 watches, per Blic Sport. pic.twitter.com/edMfqCJuU4
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) August 23, 2024
Jokic appears to be a person of the folks and somebody who takes care of his teammates, so this shouldn’t come as a shock, as he has turn out to be identified for his character on and off the basketball flooring.
Now, Jokic will deal with returning to work with the Nuggets forward of the 2024-25 NBA season, trying to get his title-contending crew again on observe as probably the greatest squads within the league.
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