WATCH: Steph Curry gives autographed game-worn jersey to 24-time Grand Slam Champion Novak Djokovic
Tonight's game between the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors featured another classic showdown between two basketball legends, Steph Curry and LeBron James. Adding to the star power, 24-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic was on the sidelines.
After the game, Steph Curry and Djokovic had an iconic exchange, with the basketball star presenting the tennis star with his autographed game-worn jersey. In return, Djokovic gifted Curry a tennis racket.
Watch the encounter between Steph Curry and Novak Djokovic below:
Curry and the Warriors blasted the LA Lakers 128-121, maintaining their position close to the Lakers in the play-in picture. The Warriors superstar put up impressive numbers with 31 points, six rebounds and five assists.
James also had a great performance for the Lakers, scoring 40 points and tallying eight rebounds and nine assists. However, the Warriors' depth proved to be more effective than the individual greatness of James.
Steph Curry's splash brother Klay Thompson had 26 points off the bench, while Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins added 23 and 16 points, respectively.
This wasn't the first time Curry and Djokovic crossed paths. They also met in 2017 during a game between the Warriors and the LA Clippers.
“Stephen Curry makes this game look easy despite sometimes having the odds stacked against him - I have so much respect for him,” Djokovic said in a Facebook post.
For Novak Djokovic, Nikola Jokic, not Steph Curry, is the best basketball player in the world
Novak Djokovic has a paternal Serbian and maternal Croatian descent. He counts among his European friends Swedish soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovic and two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic.
In a 2023 ATP Tour interview, Djokovic hailed Jokic as the best basketball player in the world.
“Nikola Jokic is the best basketball player in the world at the moment. Incredible guy. Everyone is so amazed with his skills, what he does on a basketball court. I'm not a basketball expert, so I can't really talk about his game so much, but I'm a huge fan,” he said.
Djokovic also highlighted the Serbian connection between himself and Jokic.
“Obviously a Serbian basketball player coming from Serbia, dominating the NBA, is something that doesn't happen very often.
"I think it never happened in the history of our basketball in Serbia, that we had best basketball player in the NBA. That's amazing. We all love him, support him.”
Djokovic is one of the most accomplished tennis players in history. He has won 24 Grand Slam singles titles, including 10 at the Australian Open and seven at Wimbledon.