Nikola Jokic looked surprisingly happy to join the Nuggets’ championship parade in Denver on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Serbian superstar didn’t seem thrilled to stay in Denver after beating the Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday, but he was on the team bus with Larry O’Brien’s championship trophy. It is said that it was a big smile while riding. A photo shared by his wife Natalia.
The couple were spotted walking the streets of downtown Denver, where the parade route was scheduled to begin at Union Station.
Natalya led the way, with Jokic pumping his fists into the crowd and the couple’s 1-year-old daughter Ogniena on Jokic’s shoulders.
Natalya wowed in a stylish blue Denver Nuggets blue jacket and jeans, while Ogniena looked adorable in a yellow t-shirt and Nike sneakers.
Natalya also posted a celebratory photo of her family on Instagram after Monday’s Heats victory in Denver’s 94-89 victory.
The snap was captioned with a simple red heart emoji, and the photo showed the couple kissing on the side of Ogñena’s cheek as she stared at the golden championship trophy.
Jokic’s Bill Russell Finals MVP award was also in the picture.
The Jokic family typically return to their hometown of Sombor at the end of the season, so their appearance at the parade was a rarity in the postseason.
After Monday’s game, Jokic didn’t seem thrilled with the idea of staying in Denver for the parade, even considering asking team president Josh Kroenke for a flight home.
inside NBA TV post-game interviewAsked about the victory celebration, Jokic said, “Yes, I have to go home. I’m going to race on Sunday.”
“I don’t know how I’ll get there. Thursday, late. Maybe Friday,” he said. “Ask Josh [Kroenke] I’ll lend you my plane. ”
The Nuggets parade will begin at 12pm ET and will end with a rally at Civic Center Park.
It’s unclear if the team has any post-parade plans or if Jokic actually rented a plane.
His hometown is about 9,000 miles away from Denver, with an average flight time of about 12 hours.
Jokic’s love of horses and personal life is well known in NBA circles.
according to denver postJokic cherishes his private time at home.
In fact, when Jokic won his second straight MVP award in May 2022, Nuggets coach Michael Malone, then-team president Tim Connery, and some team officials all knew the 7-footer was in Sombor. I was surprised to hand over the trophy to the player.
