Nikola Jokic’s Heroic Welcome in Serbia Validates Nuggets Star’s Alleged Bias Against NBA in ‘Drunk’ Bronze Medal Celebrations

From sheer devastation to drunken celebrations, Nikola Jokic‘s had quite an emotional trajectory in the past few days. After Serbia’s semi-final loss to the United States at the Olympics and a splendid win over Germany for the bronze, Jokic was in a frenzy. Every NBA fan who saw his jubilant self couldn’t help but compare it to his rather muted reaction to winning an NBA Championship in 2023.

As The Joker reached home, Belgrade, early Sunday morning, tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans welcomed their heroes in the capital, as they cheered them on for their third Olympic medal. All one can hear is the thunderous roars of fans, chanting “MVP… MVP” constantly, with Nikola looking at them, enjoying and cherishing the moment. He followed by reciprocating all the love they were showering on the team, back to the crowd with kisses and thank you’s.

While for the US, it is common to win a gold medal, for Serbia, even being in the top three spots at such coveted events is a historic moment. They’ve only managed to get three medals since 1996. A silver in that year, then another silver in 2016, and a bronze this year. Their chances are growing stronger than ever, as this year, they had a substantial 17-point lead against the US as compared to their 30-point blowout in 2016.

Jokic’s thrill was probably an indicator of that.

But this wasn’t the only video circulating after Serbia’s bronze medal victory. A video of the entire team just a day after the game went viral, where Nikola and others were hooting, having a gala time on a bus. They were singing along, celebrating, pumping their fists. Plus, during the medal ceremony, Jokic was visibly drunk while accepting the bronze medal. He was swaying back and forth throughout the ceremony. In another video, the Serb was seen celebrating with teammates and friends while drinking alcohol.

But him merely celebrating the moment with his team and the country is raising eyebrows. People are criticizing him for displaying bias against the NBA, and where exactly does his loyalty lie?

“I need to go home”: Does Jokic not like the NBA?

Just after winning his first NBA title, the Serbian basketball star hilariously summed up his feelings: “The job is done, we can go home now”. Jokic was open about his intentions of being with his horses and friends back in Serbia after the win. “Yes, I need to go home. On Sundays, I have my horse racing,” he told reporters. But the man stayed back to enjoy the Nuggets championship parade as he rode atop a firetruck along with his daughter Ognjena and his teammate Jamal Murray. Though the Joker enjoyed the parade, everyone knows his love for his horses and his need to be with his small circle of friends back in Sombor, Serbia.

Yes, winning an NBA championship is the dream of any basketball star. Leading your team to victory for the first time and getting the MVP status is the stuff of legends. For Jokic, it was just a job. Or as he puts it, “Basketball is not the main thing in my life. It’s something that I’m good at.”

In 2023, Jokic even forgot to bring his MVP trophy, a prized possession for any player, during presentations and celebrations at the court. When asked by an ESPN reporter about why he didn’t bring the trophy, his answer was tepid. “I really don’t know. I left it in Sparky’s room and it’s not there anymore. So I don’t know, but hopefully it can arrive in my house,” he said.

This brings us to our question – Is there a bias here considering his huge celebration of winning an Olympic medal versus winning an NBA championship?

While we may never know what he thinks about winning an Olympic medal versus winning an NBA championship, we know that he is a person who enjoys an ordinary life away from the spotlight. These victories may not have any impact on the man as he considers playing the sport as a job and he wishes to keep things that way. We will have to hear it from him to know his mind, but rest assured as long as he is on the court, he will deliver his 100% irrespective of the jersey he wears.