If you didn’t know Nikola Jokic before, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t now.
The 28-year-old has been the engine behind the Denver Nuggets’ dominant journey to the 2023 NBA Finals as the No. 1 seed out West, but none of what he’s achieved in this run is surprising.
Jokic, a two-time league MVP and five-time All-Star, has been a pure triple-double machine for a few years running, and he finally has the benefit of healthy teammates alongside him that is seeing Denver in the final round of the postseason for the first time in franchise history.
Let’s dive into what you should know about Jokic ahead of the NBA Finals:
Where is Nikola Jokic from?
Jokic is from Sombor, Serbia, a small town in the northwest section of the country that has a population of just over 41,000.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox. Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
What nationality is Nikola Jokic?
Sports
Jokic is Serbian. While his mother’s name is not publicly known, his father’s name is Branislav Jokic, and he has two older brothers, Strahinja and Nemanja.
When was Nikola Jokic born?
Jokic is 28 years old. He was born on Feb. 19, 1995.
How tall is Nikola Jokic?
Jokic, a center, is 6-foot-11 with a wingspan of 7-foot-3.
Where did Nikola Jokic play before the NBA?
Prior to being drafted by the Nuggets with the No. 41 overall pick in the second round of the 2014 draft – during a Taco Bell commercial on the broadcast – Jokic had been playing professionally in Serbia with Mega Basket beginning in 2012.
At 17 years old, he played four games in the Serbian League and averaged 1.5 points and 2.0 rebounds in 10.5 minutes per game. By the end of the 2014-15 season – he didn’t join Denver until a year later – he averaged 18.4 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field.
By the end of his first year in the NBA – where he was still qualified as a rookie – he averaged 9.9 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists in 21.7 minutes per game to earn All-Rookie First-Team honors while finishing third in Rookie of the Year voting.
He was named Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2022, becoming the NBA’s first second-round pick in the common draft era to win the award.
