Watch: Nikola Jokić's hilarious take on if NBA championship has flipped the script of his life
Nikola Jokić is coming off a successful season. However, little about the league has any effect on the 2022-23 NBA Finals MVP. He loves his horses and was restless to see them. Even during his postseason games, that was the only thing he was excited about.
The simplicity of the two-time league MVP was again on full display on Thursday. A reporter from the Bleacher Report asked Jokić about one thing that has changed in his life since becoming an NBA champion.
As usual, Jokić had a sage-like answer:
“Nothing. Absolutely Nothing.”
Jokić has largely remained away from the glitter accompanying NBA stars. He likes to lead a simple life. Before the NBA Finals, Jokić had told ESPN's Malika Andrews that he would spend his offseason watching his friends’ horses run in the race and be with his family.
Last season, the Denver Nuggets star had one of the best individual postseasons in league history. Jokić became the first player to lead his team in points, rebounds and assists in the postseason. Entering this season, the defending champion and reigning Finals MVP is determined to repeat what he did last season.
Nikola Jokić says he doesn’t know Deion Sanders after Colorado Buffaloes coach comments on Jokić-Joel Embiid’s matchup
It would be safe to say that Deion Sanders’ popularity has shot sky-high after he became the Colorado Buffaloes coach. However, despite the media coverage of Sanders and his team, Nikola Jokić has no idea who Sanders is. On the Nuggets’ media day, a reporter asked Jokić if he knew Sanders. To the surprise of many, the Nuggets' star shook his head and said, “Sorry.”
Interestingly, when the Philadelphia 76ers opened their camp in Colorado, they had a surprise visit from Sanders. During the team dinner, Sanders said that NBA superstars ducked the matchup against each other.
"A lot of folks duck that smoke right now," Sanders said. "They want to be Tarzan on paper. Don't sell me the game that when I turn on the TV, this is what I'm gonna get. Then I turn on the TV, and I don't get that. I don't like that. If Embiid is playing the Joker, I want to see Embiid vs. the Joker. ... I love the matchup. I want to see it. That's why I stayed up."
Last season, when Joker and the Nuggets faced the 76ers, Joel Embiid was out for the game due to a calf injury. The Embiid-Joker matchup has been hyped since last season. It will be interesting to see how much their matchup lives up to expectations.