“This is the best time of my f***ing life” - Nikola Jokic admits he was wrong for trying to miss out on the championship parade in Denver
Nikola Jokic shocked basketball fans when he told the media that he just wanted to go home and not join the Denver Nuggets’ parade. The NBA Finals MVP later relented as he would pressure Nuggets president Josh Kroenke to lend him a plane to return to Serbia by Sunday.
The “Joker” could not have made a better decision after what he witnessed in downtown Denver. Hordes of Nuggets fans with a sprinkling of Broncos and Avalanche diehards joined the fray.
Jokic had this to say as thousands of fans waited to hear his reaction to the whole event:
"You know that I told that I don't want to stay on parade. But I f***ing want to stay on parade. This is the best time of my f***ing life. This is amazing. We're all going to remember this our whole lives."
https://t.co/gez7MzY14y
Nikola Jokic saw Aaron Gordon and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope dancing on the streets with fans. “KCP” even gave a hyped-up fan the chance to chug beer with him ala Stone Cold Steve Austin style.
The usually reserved rookie Christian Braun was just as excited to be with the fans. Denver’s OGs, Jeff Green, De’Andre Jordan and Ish Smith couldn’t stop smiling and drinking as well. The trio has been in the NBA for at least 10 years. This is the first time for all of them winning a championship.
The rally, however, unquestionably belonged to Nuggets coach Mike Malone. Vic Lombardi hailed Malone in words that will reverberate in Denver for years to come:
"He came into this world as the son of a coach, but in these playoffs, he became the Lakers' daddy!"
"He came into this world as the son of a coach, but in these playoffs, he became the Lakers daddy!"
Vic Lombardi on Mike Malone 😅 https://t.co/5MWfVRziFw
Had he not joined the parade, Nikola Jokic would not have seen Malone exhort fans to ask for more championships from the Nuggets. The coach assured fans he was not going anywhere and even put Bruce Brown on the spot not to leave the team.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets could have more parades in the future
After winning the 2023 NBA championship, Mike Malone is already laying the foundation of wanting to do more for the franchise and the city. He told the crowd at the Ball Arena after Game 5 that they’re not content with just one.
Malone reiterated the same thing when he was interviewed by Pat McAfee. The coach told basketball fans that the Nuggets are "greedy b**tards.”
"We're not satisfied with one Chompionship and we want many many more..
We're some greedy bastards here in Denver"
😂😂 Michael Malone #PMSLive https://t.co/0thJCXuDZq
The Nuggets will have Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, Michael Porter Jr. and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope for at least two more years. Bruce Brown might be willing to take a significant pay cut to stay for another season.
Denver could lose a few of their veterans, but as long as they have their starting unit, they will likely remain the favorites.
From not wanting to join the team’s parade, Nikola Jokic and Nuggets fans might get used to this event happening more often in the next few years.
Also read: "You're the best!" - Novak Djokovic congratulates fellow Serb Nikola Jokic on historic NBA title, invites him to a session of tennis