Nikola Jokic’s Heroic Welcome in Serbia Validates Nuggets Star’s Alleged Bias Against NBA in ‘Drunk’ Bronze Medal Celebrations

From sheer devastation to drunken celebrations, such was Nikola Jokic‘s emotional trajectory in the past few days. After Serbia’s semi-final loss to the United States at the Olympics and a splendid win over Germany for the bronze, Jokic was in a frenzy. Every NBA fan who saw his jubilant self couldn’t help but compare it to his rather muted reaction to winning an NBA Championship in 2023.

As The Joker reached home, Belgrade, early Sunday morning, tens of thousands of enthusiastic fans welcomed their heroes in the capital, as they cheered them on for their third Olympic medal. All one can hear is the thunderous roars of fans, chanting “MVP… MVP” constantly, with Nikola looking at them, enjoying and cherishing the moment. He followed by reciprocating all the love they were showering on the team, back to the crowd with kisses and thank you’s.

While for the US, it is common to win a gold medal, for Serbia, even being in the top three spots at such coveted events is a historic moment. They’ve only managed to get three medals since 1996. A silver in that year, then another silver in 2016, and a bronze this year. Their chances are growing stronger than ever, as this year, they had a substantial 17-point lead against the US as compared to their 30-point blowout in 2016.

Jokic’s thrill was probably an indicator of that.

But this wasn’t the only video circulating after Serbia’s bronze medal victory. A video of the entire team just a day after the game went viral, where Nikola and others were hooting, having a gala time on a bus. They were singing along, celebrating, pumping their fists. Plus, during the medal ceremony, Jokic was visibly drunk while accepting the bronze medal. He was swaying back and forth throughout the ceremony. In another video, the Serb was seen celebrating with teammates and friends while drinking alcohol.

But him merely celebrating the moment with his team and the country is raising eyebrows. People are criticizing him for displaying bias against the NBA, and where exactly does his loyalty lie?

“I need to go home”: Does Jokic not like the NBA?

Just after winning his first NBA title, the Serbian basketball star hilariously summed up his feelings: “The job is done, we can go home now”. Despite the win, Jokic seemed a bit frustrated, wanting to go back to Serbia to be with his horses. Many memes were created, and the moment went viral. Jokic was also not present for the for the Nuggets’ championship parade as he flew to his hometown in Serbia. “Yes, I need to go home. On Sundays, I have my horse racing,” he told reporters the reason he couldn’t stick around for the parade.

Yes, winning an NBA championship is the dream of any basketball star. Leading your team to victory for the first time and getting the MVP status is the stuff of legends. For Jokic, it was just a job. Or as he puts it, “Basketball is not the main thing in my life. It’s something that I’m good at.”

In 2023, Jokic even forgot to bring his MVP trophy, a prized possession for any player, during presentations and celebrations at the court. When asked by an ESPN reporter about why he didn’t bring the trophy, his answer was tepid. “I really don’t know. I left it in Sparky’s room and it’s not there anymore. So I don’t know, but hopefully it can arrive in my house,” he said.

This brings us to our question – Is there really a bias here considering his huge celebration of winning an Olympic medal versus winning an NBA championship?

While comparing his NBA championship and Olympic bronze victories, there is a noticeable change in demeanor. One shows a picture of jubilation and the other an image of an unenthusiastic player. The videos and images do show Jokic more thrilled about his win with Serbia and could indicate an alleged bias against the NBA. However, fans should wait and see what happens over time before making a final call. After all, the man led the Nuggets to the first championship.