Nikola Jokic's brother charged with third-degree assault for viral fan altercation
Nikola Jokic’s older brother, Strahinja Jokic, might be in trouble with the law again. According to the Denver Post, he was “arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault.” He is facing a misdemeanor charge following an incident in Game 2 of the playoff series between the Denver Nuggets and LA Lakers.
A video that quickly became viral showed the Jokic brothers going after one of the fans in the stands. Nemanja Jokic confronted the man in question, but it was Strahinja who snapped the fan’s head back with what looked like a crisp right cross.
Denver police investigated the incident after the video created quite a storm in the playoffs. The Nuggets rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat the Lakers 101-99, but the altercation in the stands took the spotlight away from the game.
The man who filed the case identified his assailant as a “big guy with a mohawk,” a description that fit Nikola Jokic’s older brother, Strahinja Jokic. According to the same report, the man who got punched in the video had “cuts and bruising around his left eye” when police interviewed him.
Conflicting reports have emerged about the reason why the former Serbian basketball player punched the man in the face. He supposedly went after the fan for allegedly harassing the Nuggets superstar’s wife and daughter. The Denver Post said that Jokic hit his accuser because he was “defending an older man whom he had known for a very long time.”
Strahinja Jokic will appear in court next month to answer the allegations.
This isn’t the first time Jokic’s older brother had a run-in with the law. Five years ago, he was also arrested after a woman accused him of choking her and preventing her from calling the police. Jokic pleaded guilty to the allegations.
Nikola Jokic’s brothers once wanted to go after Devin Booker
In 2021, Nikola Jokic’s brothers badly wanted to go after Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker. The incident happened late in Game 4 of the series between the Suns and the Nuggets. With the Nuggets losing, “The Joker” fouled Suns backup guard Cam Payne. Booker confronted Jokic to stand up for his teammate.
When Booker and Jokic stood nose-to-nose, players from both teams intervened to prevent the confrontation from escalating. Nemanja Jokic and Strahinja Jokic wanted the opposite. A video of both heatedly shouting at Booker and Suns players became viral.
Arena personnel quickly stood in front of the Jokic brothers to hold them back. It would have turned ugly had the Serbians gotten what they wanted.
Nikola Jokic’s brothers supported him when few believed in the three-time NBA MVP. They will continue to have his back even if the oldest brother could be facing legal trouble for what he did in April.