While an NBA championship might be the ultimate aspiration for most basketball players, for three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, the pinnacle of happiness could very well be seeing his horse cross the finish line first at a race track. Jokic`s profound love for horse racing was vividly on display last Sunday. In his native Serbia, he was present to witness one of his horses claim victory, an event that instantly brought him to tears.
Known for his composed and often stoic demeanor on the basketball court, the Denver Nuggets superstar revealed a profoundly emotional side. Jokic was seen wiping tears from his eyes as he rushed onto the track to celebrate the triumph with the jockey and his beloved steed.
Although basketball has brought Jokic fame, accolades, and financial success, it`s clear that horse racing holds a uniquely special place in his heart. After the Nuggets secured the NBA championship in 2023, Nikola`s father, Branislav, shared with the Associated Press how he once had to convince his son to pursue basketball over a career in equestrian sports. “I used to tell him: `Son, become a basketball player first, and then you`ll become a great horseman later,`” Branislav Jokic recalled.
Over the years, Jokic has successfully integrated his two passions. In 2023, he invited his Nuggets teammate Aaron Gordon to Serbia to experience horse races in his hometown of Sombor. Later that same year, while on a road trip in New York, Jokic seized the opportunity to visit the Yonkers Raceway and spend time with some of the horses.
