Watch Nikola Jokic seem to not really care about NBA championship win
LOS ANGELES - The 2023 NBA finals was full of firsts. Not only did the Denver Nuggets capture its first title in franchise history on Monday night, but Nikola Jokic became the first player in history to lead the league in points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190) in a single postseason.
Some could argue that while everyone was celebrating one of the feistiest NBA finals in recent memory, a true historic first was the fact of how unimpressed Jokic appeared.
Jokic had a priceless reaction Monday night to the news that his return back to his native Serbia would have to wait until the Nuggets celebrated their first-ever NBA Championship with a parade later this week.
In a now viral post-game interview, the two-time MVP, who was also named NBA Finals MVP, was asked by one of the reporters about his feelings now that he’s accomplished basketball greatness, specifically about the upcoming championship parade in Denver on Thursday.
"When is [the] parade?" Jokic asked, and was informed that it was later in the week.
"No," he responded in shock as he sat back in his seat. "I need to go home," he added, grabbing his head.
Jokic humbly acknowledged that while winning an NBA Championship is an accomplishment, "it's not the most important thing in the world."
"It’s an amazing feeling but like I said before, it’s not everything in [the] world… OK, I won it – not I, we won it – but I think it’s not the most important thing in the world, still. There’s [a] bunch of things that I like to do."
Jokic did say that "the most important thing" to him was being able to win a championship when no one believed they could.
In a separate post game interview, Jokic was again asked about the parade in which he seemed to be more concerned about getting to make it back to Serbia to attend his hometown’s horse racing on Sundays.
"Jokić is making it home for his horse races by any means necessary," wrote NBATV on Twitter.
In another viral tweet, one Twitter user posted a clip of Jokic celebrating with his team.
The video shows Jokic grabbing a bottle of celebratory champagne and appearing to shake it with record levels of indifference.
"Jokic just wants to go home LMAOOO," the Twitter user wrote.
All jokes aside, Jokic’s reaction to the historic franchise win just goes to show the humility that reverberates throughout the Champion.
At the end of the game, Jokic was seen humbly accepting the Bill Russell Trophy as the 2022-23 NBA Finals MVP while holding his daughter – sharing one of the most important moments in any athlete's life with those he cares most about.
Jokic even went on to shake the hands of every single Heat player after the game showing the meaning of true sportsmanship.
Maybe Jokic wasn’t that interested in the fame that comes with being an MVP but he was most certainly interested in clinching a historic win for his team.