Britton Gray: Basketball is just a job to Nikola Jokic

Opinion

Nikola Jokic might not be a marketing team’s dream, but he finds a way to connect with people in a different way.

As the Denver Nuggets centre celebrates the city’s first NBA championship with his teammates during a parade, his reaction after the win over the Miami Heat has been given as much, if not more, attention as the historic run he went on.

Jokic was named the NBA final’s MVP after averaging 30.2 points, 14 rebounds and 7.2 assists in five games against the Heat.

But instead of running to celebrate with his teammates, Jokic went to shake the hands of every Miami player afterwards.

Then, when asked how he felt about winning the title, his answer was like many other people when they finish a big work project: “It’s good. The job is done and we can go home now.”

When told he would have to stick around Denver for a few more days for the parade, he let out an exhausted sigh — like many other people at their jobs when they’re told they need to stick around to do something extra.

It’s been a refreshing, and sometimes funny, response from a player who could be seen as the best in the world.

Seeing some clips from his teammates gain some traction after the win, it appears that Jokic views basketball for what it is — a game.

The Serbian centre, who was taken in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft while the telecast was showing a Taco Bell commercial, seems like a person who was really good at basketball, so he thought he might as well make a living doing it so he can feed his family and pursue his other passions.

It’s reported he doesn’t work out much during the off-season, using training camp to get in shape for the year.

But his talent on the court allows him to flourish and dominate games like we’ve never seen from a near-seven footer.

He has become a superstar in the NBA but doesn’t embrace the fame that comes with it.

For him, his priorities are elsewhere.

It’s clear Jokic values his family more than anything else in the world, wearing his wedding ring around the lace of his shoe while playing, and pointing to his hand when he sees his daughter in the crowd — the gesture coming from a song they sing together.

That’s what makes Jokic so relatable. To him, basketball isn’t about the glitz, the shoe deals or the celebrity status. It’s a way to make a living for his family and when it’s the off-season, his job is the furthest thing from his mind.

That’s something we can all relate to.