How Pragmatic Nikola Jokic’s Mentality Boosts Denver Nuggets as a Whole – Justin Holiday Explains

It is widely known and well-documented that Nikola Jokic is the biggest ‘team-first’ player. His blind faith in his teammates was evident when, in 2022, Jokic said with full belief that they could easily win the championship. This was the attitude that helped him lead the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA title win in franchise history in 2023.

He is the kind of person who would set aside his personal goals to help the team achieve greater heights. We have heard many of his long-time teammates talk about his positive attitude. But now, even the ones who have spent a short while are already waxing praises in his honor.

Justin Holiday speaks out about Jokic

Justin Holiday joined the Denver Nuggets this July and has already acclimated himself well with the team. Despite being around for such a short while, Holiday has been able to grasp the dynamics of the team well. In an interview with DNVR, Justin explained that the biggest influence on the team’s mental approach to things was Nikola Jokic. He shared, “No matter who comes in here, who does what, Jokic doesn’t get too high or too low. He doesn’t care about the personal accolades, which I think is pretty cool.” 

Holiday also pointed out the fact that Jokic is not someone who gets pulled down by bad results. “He’s just like, ‘Yeah, OK,’ (and moves on). Like with the turnover he threw the other day. We all knew what he wanted to do. He gets that through, it’s a big play. If he doesn’t, it is what it is. I think our team does well with that.” 

The Serb’s views on stats

Earlier this year, Jokic surpassed Alex English with the highest career assists in the Nuggets franchise history. But all he had to say after this achievement was, “When you have a lot of assists, it just shows that you’re a good team player. That’s something I want to be. I want everybody to remember me as a guy who was a really good team player.” After the finals last season, Nikola was the first player in history to lead the postseason in total points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190). But his reaction to it was, “Its just stats”.

We doubt we will meet anyone more humble than him. And his positive attitude is rubbing off on his teammates as well. Holiday shared that after a bad game, all Jamal Murray had to say was how he would concentrate more on his shooting. Taking a card out of Nikola’s book, maybe.

Jokic’s frame of mind on and off the court

It is not just for personal goals. Even the team’s achievements don’t seem to get to the Serb’s head. After winning the NBA title, a dream for every basketball player, all he had to say was, “It’s good, it’s good, the job is done, now we can go home“.

The Joker is often considered the antithesis of an NBA player, who are usually known for their flamboyant antics, on and off the court. The calm and level-minded attitude is something that he carries with him even during the games. His press conferences are usually just one-word answers. He would much rather talk about the team’s achievements than his records.

Read More : Nikola Jokic Renders Journalists Jobless in Hilarious Interview to Top Off Historic Night vs Pelicans

And once he is done with his basketball obligations, Nikola retreats to his quiet hometown, Sombor. There, he indulges in his other passion, horse racing. It has even led fans to joke that this is all just a normal 9-to-5 for the big man. Just like how we normal folk cannot wait to get back home after work, the Serb also always seems eager to go home. And no one can ever forget his iconic reaction to the parade in Denver after the championship. He was disappointed at having to go back late to Serbia!

Watch this Story: Nikola Jokic’s “World Champions” Ring Unveiled, as NBA Fans Trash the $100,000+ Worth Prized Possession: “Look Cheap”

Many have claimed that Nikola is one-of-a-kind, and we will rarely see another player like him. What are your thoughts on this?