Reigning NBA MVP Nikola Jokic thanks childhood coach for stopping his teenage party lifestyle: "Didn’t allow us to drink"
Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has undoubtedly been one of the best players in the NBA in recent years. However, the reigning NBA MVP has always dedicated his success to his childhood coach, Isidor Rudic.
Rudic played a crucial role in shaping Nikola Jokic’s formative years in Serbia and has been vital in the making of the three-time MVP. Recently, Mike Singer, a former Nuggets beat writer, shared an exclusive excerpt with The Denver Post from his upcoming book, "Why So Angry? The Untold Story of NBA Champion Nikola Jokic." This excerpt delves into Jokic's inner circle sharing his journey to stardom and will be released on Dec. 3.
One of the excerpts highlighted Jokic's gratitude towards Rudic for deterring a party lifestyle during his early days.
“At the time in Serbia, when you’re like 15, 16, 17, you start drinking, and he didn’t even allow us to drink,” Nikola said. “I think we respect him so much, and didn’t want to ruin that respect.”
If any player was caught drinking, they faced suspensions ranging from missing a week of practice to a month, or even expulsion from the team. Remarkably, all players, including Jokic, managed to avoid a third offense.
Serbia is a country deeply entrenched in both basketball and party lifestyle culture, so Jokic should thank his coach.
Nikola Jokic's father saw potential in him that he didn’t in his brothers, claims childhood coach
Nikola Jokic’s dad Branislav Jokic took it upon himself to provide all sorts of needs to his son in basketball and he even went as far as to limit pampering to perfect him in the sport.
“Brana saw something in Nikola that he didn’t see in Nemanja and Strajinja,“ Isidor Rudic said.
Jokic has two brothers who also played basketball professionally – Nemanja in the US and Strahinja in the Serbian league. Their father, also a former basketball player, had already seen how his two older sons developed and believed that his youngest son had even greater potential.
Nikola's dad and coach closely monitored every aspect of his development. After practice sessions, his father would discuss his progress with Rudic, even on off days or when Nikola skipped practice.
“He was teased a bit because of his larger build,” Branislav said. "But he overcame it as he grew and felt more dominant on the court. He had a tough nature, and I was a bit of a demanding dad because I always pushed him to train and play with full force, which often annoyed him.”
While Rudic and his dad both played a pivotal role in shaping Jokic’s career, it’s also essential to acknowledge the years of hard work, dedication and sacrifice it took for him to go from an overweight child to a quintessential NBA superstar.