SAN DIEGO – Months after he equally inspired teammates and frustrated opponents with his step-back jumpers, crisp passes and perfect footwork, Nikola Jokic craved reliving the best basketball moments of his life.
Not only did Jokic reflect on winning his first NBA championship, he also watched his own highlights.
“I think it’s cool. We had a very nice run,” Jokic said following the Nuggets’ practice on Tuesday at University of San Diego. “Some people say it’s an historic run. I think it was a good quality in basketball. If you like basketball, it’s really nice to like it.”
To replicate those performances that could lead to more championship runs and highlights, Jokic also spent his offseason stepping away from the game. He only binge-watched his highlights occasionally. Jokic professed he only touched an actual basketball a couple of other times. Jokic fulfilled that idle time elsewhere. He cared for his horses. He partied with the Serbian national team following the FIBA World Cup. He performed a front flip off a raft into a river. Sometimes, he just resided in his native Serbia and did nothing.
“Just being at home, being with my family,” said Jokic, referring to his wife (Natalija Macesic), daughter (Ognjena) and two brothers (Nemanja and Strahinja). “I enjoyed the quiet boring life.”
Jokic’s off-season itinerary arguably foreshadows the key to secure two season-long goals. Can the Nuggets become the seventh team in NBA history to win consecutive championships? Can Jokic maintain his stellar play that resulted in two consecutive regular-season MVPs (2021, 2022) and one Finals MVP (2023)?
The Nuggets began training camp with discussing the opportunity and challenge with defending their NBA title.
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Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets seeking back-to-back titles
The Los Angeles Lakers, Boston Celtics, Chicago Bulls, Houston Rockets, Miami Heat and Golden State Warriors all won consecutive championships because they had a blend of generational talent, elite coaching and roster depth. Denver has a similar identity, too, with the NBA’s best center (Jokic), an All-Star caliber point guard (Jamal Murray), an experienced and proven head coach (Michael Malone) and dependable role players (Aaron Gordon, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Christian Braun). Nonetheless, 55 out of 75 NBA teams have failed to win consecutive titles in league history for reasons that may become familiar to the Nuggets this season.
Just like what happened with other past defending champions, the Nuggets lost valuable role players to free agency (Bruce Brown, Ish Smith, Jeff Green). Just like what happened with those NBA title teams, the Nuggets saw other teams make off-season moves in hopes to supplant them. The Milwaukee Bucks, Boston Celtics, Phoenix Suns, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors all seem viable candidates to knock the Nuggets off their throne. Yet, Denver maintains confidence because of Jokic’s steady consistency.
“Five years, I’ve been doing the same thing,” Jokic said. “If you want me to tell you exactly, it’s going to take three or four hours. So, I can’t.”
The Nuggets have gladly filled in the details.
To ensure that he collects triple doubles in nearly every game with his deft scoring, crisp passing and fundamentally-sound play, Jokic has followed a strict routine in recent seasons. He has favored smoothies and light meals filled with protein and vitamins over sugary foods and beverages. He has lifted weights both on non-game days and immediately after each game to maximize his strength and recovery. And though Jokic professes that he has avoided becoming overly obsessed with the game, the Nuggets observed their star player stays disciplined with drills and film study.
“His work ethic. I don’t think it gets talked about enough,” Malone said. “People think he’s just a really gifted player. But Nikola puts a lot of time into his body, his conditioning and his craft on the court. That allows you to go out there and play at a high level.”
To reach an even higher level, the Nuggets have called on Jokic to become more vocal. They saw the normally stoic Jokic becoming more comfortable last season with both criticizing and encouraging teammates. They want him to do that even more. In a recent team dinner, Malone instructed his players to hold each other to an even higher standard this season in hopes to guard against complacency. Though Malone’s message applied to everyone, the Nuggets expect Jokic will carry that mantle because of his stature.
“I’ll probably just yell at the guys,” Jokic mused. “I think that’s what I’m going to do. Just yell at the guys. I got to say something.”
His teammates surely will listen. The 28-year-old Jokic already has set the NBA’s playoff record for most triple doubles in a single postseason (10). Yet, Jokic plans to fulfill this need with the same way he tries to determine when to score or pass. He wants to react to each situation accordingly.
“You need to say smart things. You can’t just say dumb stuff,” Jokic said. “If you say all the smart things, then you can be a vocal leader.”
So far, Jokic has urged his teammates to devote each practice with a purpose by completing drills in an efficient manner without taking any shortcuts. He also has promoted team bonding, such as the Spike Ball competition he planned to host following Tuesday’s practice.
“I’m the best, probably,” Jokic deadpanned about his Spike Ball skills.
The Denver Nuggets will soon find out whether Jokic’s balanced leadership approach can ensure they remain the best on the basketball court, too.
Mark Medina is an NBA Insider at Sportsnaut. Follow him on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.