Friday night brought fireworks as the Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs squared off, showcasing the brilliance of Nikola Jokić and the rising star Victor Wembanyama. The Spurs snagged the win in Denver, with Wembanyama delivering a jaw-dropping 35 points and 18 rebounds. Jokic wasn’t to be outdone, posting an impressive 41 points and 18 boards. But Saturday night had other plans—a revenge story for the Nuggets as they stormed into San Antonio for a rematch thriller. The match entered into overtime and Denver proved superior over the Spurs 14-3 to win the game 122-111.

Wembanyama shined again with 20 points, 23 rebounds, and four blocks. However, Nikola Jokić was the star of the night, scoring 46 points, making 10 assists, getting 9 rebounds, and more, which makes him equal to Wilt Chamberlain and sets a new record for the most 45+ point and 10+ assist games by a center. But hold on—it is not only on the hardwood that Jokić is making a statement. In a surprising twist, the Denver Nuggets decided to take their game to a whole new court—literally.

The Denver Nuggets’ Instagram page decided to give fans quite a surprise as they posted a montage that had people looking twice! The first slide? Nikola Jokić, looking like a natural pro, positioned perfectly to receive the ball, channeling his inner volleyball ace. Slide two turned up the heat with a video showing Nikola Jokić in action—serving, spiking, and giving us all the volleyball feels.

The finale? Another picture-perfect volleyball moment with Aaron Gordon had everyone wondering if the MVP’s talents truly have no bounds. And the cherry on top? Their cheeky caption: “A quick volley 🏐.” Brief and to the point, as well as concise enough to give both the volleyball and basketball communities around the world something to talk about.

Oh, and guess what? That is how it went down! LOVB Salt Lake Volleyball slid into the comments with the ultimate hype: “The form is immaculate 🤌.” Like, can we take a second to appreciate how wild it is to get form-approved by a pro league? This is not just any league; LOVB is the real deal, constructed on a framework of some of the premier junior volleyball clubs.

And LOVB is run by volleyball legends, such as the legendary Jordan Larson. And guess what? Since LOVB is preparing for its first season this month, this little Nikola Jokić moment has a huge vibe. But here is the twist: many other volleyball fans and stars alike flocked to the comments to praise the form of this six-time NBA All-Star!

Nikola Jokić is now a volleyball player?

Fans couldn’t help but flood the comments with love for Nikola Jokić’s unexpected volleyball skills. One user hyped him up, saying, “Jokers technique looks clean 🔥”—which was not a lie. However, hold on a second; how did Jokić earn the nickname Joker in the first place? Years ago, former Nugget Mike Miller had a little trouble with Jokić’s name; it’s pronounced “Yo-kitch.” Therefore, instead of attempting a tongue twister, Miller went full creative and christened him ‘The Joker.’ Jokić adopted the nickname and the rest is history!

There was another pearl in the comment section and this time it was from none other than volleyball legend Gustavo Endres. He added, “A perfect middle blocker!! 👏🏻👏🏻”—and honestly, he’s not wrong! To the uninitiated of volleyball terms and phrases, a middle blocker is essentially the guardian of the net, a powerhouse. Whether it’s attempting to read those difficult-to-reach quick spikes or using their height to shield themselves like a wall, they are the ultimate game changers. And let’s be real—doesn’t that sound like Nikola Jokić to a T? But wait, there’s more!

USA Volleyball joined the party, dropping a gem of a comment: “Jokić’s hands though 🙌”—and I mean, can we discuss those hands for a while? Absolute magic! Then, American pro volleyball star Taylor Averill joined the conversation with a more enthusiastic, “Let’s do it baby 🙌” (as translated by Instagram). The love was flowing, and Jokić was absolutely soaking in the spotlight.

And why wouldn’t he? This man has a resume that reads like a legend, so it should be no surprise that he’s garnering high praise from everybody. Jokić is currently regarded as one of the best players and centers in NBA history—a true draft steal turned global phenomenon. The dude is a six-time NBA All-Star, a six-time member of the All-NBA Team (including four times on the first team), and a three-time MVP winner for the seasons 2020-2021, 2021-2022, and 2023-2024. And the Serbian sensation isn’t just lighting it up in the NBA. He’s also represented his country on the Olympic stage, winning a silver medal in Rio 2016 and a bronze in Paris 2024. Honestly, Jokić’s career? One has to stand back and marvel at it!