Nikola JOKIC

Nikola Jokic, also known as "the Joker," was born in February 1995 in Sombor, Serbia. Though briefly interested in horse racing as a teenager, he ultimately chose to focus on basketball. At 17, he signed his first professional contract with the Serbian team Mega Vizura.

In the 2014 NBA Draft, the Denver Nuggets recognised Jokic's promise and selected him 41st overall. After another year playing with Mega Vizura, the Serbian made his NBA debut in the 2015-16 season where he exceeded all expectations and earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Since his impressive debut, Jokic has been a standout player in the NBA, earning six All-Star selections. He won the Most Valuable Player Award consecutively in the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons. In the 2022-23 season, the 28-year-old led the Nuggets to their first Western Conference title and NBA championship with Jokic receiving the NBA Finals MVP award.

Nikola Jokic: Serbian Star and Olympic silver medallist