Nikola Jokic addressed the press on Monday, the NBA champion returns to Denver donning his jersey for the first time since the Nuggets clinched the NBA Championship slightly over three months ago. The NBA Finals MVP has returned to Colorado, prepared for his team’s training camp and the challenge of defending their title. However, like many of us, it seems he wishes the summer had been a bit longer.
NBA Champion Returns to Denver
When a reporter inquired whether the past few months had been the most enjoyable post-NBA season period for him, given that he was back in his homeland of Serbia as a champion, he responded, “I think it’s actually the opposite.”
This elicited some laughter from the reporters, who are accustomed to the humble center’s often unconventional and concise responses.
“Because we played … extra months so we’re recovering and everything,” he explained.
Moments after the Nuggets triumphed in Game 5 against the Miami Heat at Ball Arena, Jokic expressed disappointment to reporters that he couldn’t immediately return to his hometown of Sombor due to the championship parade. Nevertheless, he ended up enjoying the parade, and once he finally made it home, he wasted no time visiting his beloved horse racing track.
In contrast to previous offseasons, Jokic chose to remain on the sidelines and rest his body while his Serbian national team participated in the FIBA Basketball World Cup. They ultimately secured the silver medal, and Jokic took the opportunity to playfully tease his teammate Jamal Murray, who sat out, about their victory over Canada in the international competition.
Jokic also spoke warmly about a summer visit to Serbia by another teammate, Aaron Gordon.
“He asked me can I stay one more day. I said ‘Yes of course,” Jokic recalled. “We didn’t do anything special. He was just spending days with me. We were working out a couple times. Racetrack. Lakehouse. Quiet boring life.”
Gordon, when speaking to reporters on Monday, had a different perspective on the trip, emphasizing that visiting the Joker was far from boring.
“The trip to Sombor was awesome. … Experiencing his lifestyle, it was cool,” Gordon remarked. “It’s just a beautiful town. His way of life is really, really amazing. And I can understand why he’s trying to get out of here.”
Gordon also praised the city’s layout and food, then humorously noted that the residents of Sombor were particularly intrigued by his dreadlocks.
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