Paris Olympics: Nikola Jokic Uncertain About Sacrificing His Body For National Duty Despite Extra Rest Days

Despite Nikola Jokic and his teammates putting out some of their best performances this season, the roster faced a tough challenge during the recent Semifinals against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Ant-Man and Co. recording their 4th win barely a few minutes ago, the Denver Nuggets have now been eliminated. This has tarnished The Joker’s dream of possessing a Championship ring for the 2nd consecutive year. In a few weeks, many would have expected the player to make his next appearance in the Paris Olympics, but his recent remarks indicate otherwise.

That was really not the answer anyone was expecting from Jokic after being asked about his plans for the upcoming months. Having already represented Serbia during the 2016 Summer Olympics, there were indications that he would fulfill his national duty and represent his home country once again in one of the most significant sporting events in the world. However, Jokic candidly stated that the future at this stage is uncertain. When deciding to play in the Olympics, the player said, “I don’t know, my friend. We will see. I need to think about it.” However, this isn’t the first time he has expressed his uncertainty about participating in the prestigious games.

In December 2023, rumors had already started to circulate that Jokic had committed to representing Serbia. However, he pushed back on these rumors and stated, “It’s far. Some people put words in my mouth that I said something that I didn’t. The head coach is the first to know (my commitment). I always talk to the family and the team after the season”.

Nikola Jokic’s remark was a complete contrast to the earlier statement by Božidar Maljković, the President of Serbia’s Olympic Committee, which said “I already announced that in Paris, they will be all, Jokić included”. It has been over five months since both the statements were put out. Not only is Jokic unconfirmed for the Serbian NT, but it is also not confirmed whether he will participate in the 2024 Olympics at all.

After initially agreeing to be a part of the National Team, the Serbian had chosen to opt out of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, the same year he and the Denver Nuggets had won their first NBA championship. He cited the reason as physical and mental fatigue following the historical season. After the franchise’s recent elimination, the player will receive two months of rest before he is made to travel to Paris for the event. However, the player has indirectly raised doubts about whether it will be enough.

How did Nikola Jokic perform during the 2016 Summer Olympics?

The first and only time that Nikola Jokic represented Serbia in the Olympics was in 2016. It was the second year of the player’s NBA career, before which he had played with the Mega Basket basketball club in Serbia for four years. Another notable player in the Serbian roster at that time was shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanović, who currently plays for the Atlanta Hawks.

During the course of eight matchups, Jokic secured an average score of 9.1 points, 6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists to his name. In addition to this, he had an average playtime of 22.5 minutes. While his average points total stood in the single digits, he scored 25 and 12 points during a clash against Team USA and Croatia, respectively. Jokic and his roster managed to reach the Finals, in which he competed against the US.

In other words, he went up against the other members of his NBA fraternity. The game was close, with Serbia losing by a score of 91-94 and only managing to secure the Silver Medal.

So many years later, Nikola Jokic is a much better player and someone with a presence that can boost the Serbian team massively. After all, the USA’s roster has LeBron James, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, and some of the other greatest NBA players of the modern generation. Therefore, it remains to be seen whether the player will be present to fulfill his national duty or not.