NBA star Nikola Jokic under pressure in native Serbia to deliver at Paris Olympics
- After three MVP titles and one championship, the centre stands on the threshold of securing eternal glory in his homeland
After winning three MVP titles and one NBA championship, Nikola Jokic stands on the threshold of securing eternal glory in Serbia if he can bring home an Olympic gold medal to the basketball-mad country.
Jokic’s return to international competition comes a year after he skipped the Basketball World Cup in the Philippines, where Serbia finished second following a nail-biting 83-77 loss to Germany in the final.
The 29-year-old’s absence from that tournament ignited outrage in Serbia just months after he was lavished with an outpouring of love for leading the Denver Nuggets to an NBA title win.
Serbian fans took to social media to slam Jokic, with the NBA star centre labelled a “traitor” by some.
“The nation’s sentiment is entirely justified in believing that playing for the national team is more of a hobby for him, rather than an act of patriotism or genuine desire,” Serbian sports journalist Vladimir Zivanovic told AFP.
Basketball has long been an obsession in Serbia, with some domestic teams regularly selling out games in Belgrade’s 18,000-seat Stark Arena.
