Latest news with #Nuggets'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
See Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in literal tears after horse race
The post See Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in literal tears after horse race appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Denver Nuggets have been busy this offseason, adding Cam Johnson, Bruce Brown, and Tim Hardaway Jr. to try to give Nikola Jokic some much-needed shooting and secondary playmaking. Meanwhile, Jokic himself has also been busy, but not necessarily playing basketball (although there's probably also been plenty of that). Recently, video surfaced of Jokic racing horses in his native Serbia, and after his horse won, Jokic showed perhaps more emotion than he's ever displayed on an NBA court. (per MrBuckBuck on X, formerly Twitter, via Arena Sport TV). The moment quickly went viral on social media. 'Dude celebrated this more than a championship LMAOOOO,' wrote one user. Another added that Jokic 'can't wait to retire from his side gig that pays the bills and focus on his true love, he's gonna retire the second his prime is done.' Jokic has long been known for his love of racing horses during the offseason back home in Serbia, with some noting that he tends to become much more visibly excited about that sport than he was when he won the NBA championship in 2023. Can the Nuggets win another title? While Jokic may not be the most emotionally expressive basketball player in the NBA, there's little debate that he's the best right now. Last year, Jokic very nearly willed the Nuggets to an upset win over the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinals, but Denver ultimately bowed out in seven games. Still, with the offseason additions of Johnson, Hardaway Jr., and Brown, along with other savvy signings along the margins, there is hope that the Nuggets will once again be able to compete for championship glory in 2025-26. Jokic doesn't rely much at all on speed or athleticism to be effective, so it's likely that he'll be a dominant player for the next several years. Meanwhile, Nuggets fans will be looking for a bounce back from Jamal Murray, who has been sporadic at times during the last two regular seasons, with some questioning whether he is truly good enough to be Jokic's number two option. In any case, Jokic still has a couple of months to continue racing horses before the NBA preseason begins. Related: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic's agent sparks rumors with LeBron James 'big plans' tease Related: Morris twins challenge Jokic brothers to boxing match
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Nuggets' Nikola Jokic makes final decision on EuroBasket 2025 participation
The post Nuggets' Nikola Jokic makes final decision on EuroBasket 2025 participation appeared first on ClutchPoints. In what is set to make the upcoming EuroBasket 2025 a star-studded event, the Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic became the latest NBA superstar to commit to the tournament. The three-time MVP and 2023 NBA Champion was announced as part of Serbia's 17-man preliminary roster alongside multiple NBA stars. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that Jokic joins a roster filled with stars such as Nikola Topic, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Nikola Jovic, alongside EuroLeague sensation Vasilihie Micic, and is now set to take part in the tournament which tips off later this month, on August 27. Jokic will play under head coach Svetislav Pesic, and will be seen alongside the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. The former also recently confirmed his decision to play in the tournament. The tournament is set to be hosted across Cyprus, Finland, Poland and Latvia, with Serbia set to compete in a challenging Group A which includes the likes of Estonia, Latvia, Turkiye, Czech Republic, and Portugal. Serbia will tip off its campaign with two warm-up events. The first will feature Greece in Israelm with the three teams set to play multiple games in Cyrpus on August 9 and 10. Further, Serbia will then participate in a mini-tournament in Munich from August 15-16 where they will face off against Czech Republic and the winners of the game between Germany and Turkey. The final warm-up game will be played against Slovenia on August 21 at the Belgrade Arena and will potentially pit Jokic against Luka Doncic. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks' two-time MVP, has also declared his intent to play for Greece. The Greece roster also included the likes of Kostas Sloukas and Tyler Dorsey, with both Nick Calathes and Thanasis Antetokounmpo set to miss the tournament. Jokic's inclusion undoubtedly elevates an already NBA-rich roster into one of the leading contenders in the tournament. Related: See Nuggets' Nikola Jokic in literal tears after horse race Related: Nuggets' Nikola Jokic's agent sparks rumors with LeBron James 'big plans' tease
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Nikola Jokić received a Godfather-inspired horse gift during wild Chinese tour
Fortunately for Nikola Jokić, he's merely the best basketball player in the world. He's intently focused on his craft, not anything else, and he isn't some shady movie producer. So, for as much as the Denver Nuggets superstar loves his race horses, he definitely never has to worry about some (fictional) crime family threatening him and them with a dismembered head, like Jack Woltz with the Corleones in the Godfather film series. In the real world, as Jokić embarks on his mid-July tour through China, a horse head is actually a much more delightful, welcome, and creative gift to the Serbian center. It's not a threat in the least. POLE POSITION: Nuggets' dynamic offseason should give Jokić chance at 2nd NBA title In fact, while Jokić greeted swaths of fans in China, one diehard supporter of the star came up to him and gifted the Denver star a horse's head." Well, actually, that is, they gave him a horse's "head" consisting entirely of his signature shoes from the Chinese shoe and apparel brand 361. Man, this is some commitment to the bit. I can't even hate. Honestly? The fan deserves a lot of credit for the ingenuity in giving something that would be relatable to Jokić's other most famous interest. It's truly a great way to get his attention in a massive crowd. Jokić is a generational talent and one of the best NBA players of all time. You have to pull out all the stops to impress him when he's visiting the country with the second-highest population in the world. It's a prerequisite to even getting a chance to leave a lasting mark. Kudos to this fan for doing just that and putting a smile on Jokić's face.
New York Post
13-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Post
The important off-the-court impact Nets expect Michael Porter Jr. to provide
LAS VEGAS — The biggest move of Brooklyn's summer brought back the only championship winner on the roster. Michael Porter Jr. is the only player with a ring, the one who has been where the Nets are trying to get. And coach Jordi Fernández — who was with Porter in Denver for the first four years of the forward's career — hopes some of that can rub off on his young team. Advertisement 'He's excited to be here. I'm excited to reunite with him,' Fernández said. 'We have history together. I loved my time with Michael. And I know he's going to bring a lot. His work ethic is very good. He's a pro, works really hard, so that's going to be good for the young guys to see a guy like him that won a championship, and why.' Porter bounced back from a back injury in 2021-22 by winning the title with Denver the following season. The Nets traded Cam Johnson for Porter and the Nuggets' unprotected 2032 first-round pick. That selection — when Nikola Jokic will be 37 — will be one of the most valuable in Brooklyn's cache of future assets. It's why Yahoo Sports, CBS Sports, SB Nation and Clutch Points all graded the Nets an 'A' for the deal. The Nets acquired Michael Porter Jr. this offseason. AP Advertisement But what exactly will they be getting in Porter in the meantime? Can he be more than just a salary dump? On paper, the 6-foot-10 forward is similar to Johnson, but the similarity ends once it leaves the page. Porter is younger, having turned 27 on June 29. Despite back woes early in his career, Porter is actually healthier, having missed six games the past two seasons compared to Johnson's 43. And he's pricier, the two years and $79.1 million on his deal the reason the Nets were able to get such a valuable pick. Advertisement And he's also going to have to show he can be effective without Jokic. 'He's going to be asked to do things that he's never done before, right? Probably his usage and the shots he's going to take,' admitted Fernández. 'And that's exciting. It should be exciting for him. He's going to work for it. I know the type of person he is. And I was very happy to see him face-to-face [Saturday].' For perspective, Porter averaged 17.4 points in 220 games over the past three years on solid .492/.404/.795 splits. But without Joker? Those numbers dipped, averaging just 15.9 points in 22 games on .440/.268/.707 splits. Michael Porter Jr. is the only player on the Nets roster who has won a championship. NBAE via Getty Images Advertisement Can he be efficient outside of Jokic's orbit? And can he lead a rookie-laden team? 'I don't want him to be out of character. I just want him to be himself,' Fernández said. 'And that's why I'm very comfortable, because I've seen him get where he got, his career year and how he scores the ball and the work he puts in every day. Follow all the basketball buzz in Brooklyn Sign up for Inside the Nets by Brian Lewis, exclusively on Sports+. Thank you Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Check out more newsletters 'The only thing we need to do is get him adjusted to his new teammates, the little things that make your life better: finding a place to live, get comfortable. But I know who he is and how good he is going to be. And I want him to lead being Michael Porter. He doesn't need to be anybody else. Once again, I think he'll be very, very good for the group.' Porter is the second-oldest Net behind only Terance Mann, 29. Will he start at power forward while Mann, Egor Demin and Ziaire Williams vie for wing minutes? Or is Porter a small forward alongside stretch four Noah Clowney? 'I don't think it really matters. What matters is who he guards,' Fernández said. 'That's the positionless for us — 1 through 4, it's pretty much the same. 'But Michael is an amazing catch-and-shoot player. He can iso, he can shoot over people, he can rebound the ball. So all those things are very good for what we're building. And he'll help us. And we know our efficiency is gonna go up with him.'
Otago Daily Times
30-06-2025
- Sport
- Otago Daily Times
Carey's return to US blow for Nuggets
Don Carey jun. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON Otago Nuggets guard Don Carey jun will miss the final two games of the National Basketball League season. The 26-year-old American is returning home due to personal circumstances. In a post on social media yesterday, he thanked the team's fans for their support. "A huge shout out to the Nuggets family and our incredible fans for your support this season," he wrote. "Whilst it hasn't always been easy on the court, you've welcomed me, showed your unwavering support for the team, and made Dunedin feel like home. "Unfortunately, due to personal circumstances, I will be returning home early and will therefore miss our final two away games of the season. "I thank you for understanding that I wouldn't be doing this if it wasn't important, and that, like you, I will be cheering the guys on from afar as they chase that win." Carey has been the Nuggets' most productive scorer, averaging 22.4 points. The shooting guard made 18 appearances for the Nuggets. One of those games was against the Indian Panthers, which was wiped from the records after they were booted out of the league. Carey dropped 34 points against the Hawke's Bay Hawks in Napier in his second game for the franchise to lead the team to a 93-86 win. He also played a key role in the 108-104 win over the Manawatū Jets. He made 12 assists and posted 22 points in Dunedin that night. Unfortunately, the Nuggets have gone on a 14-game losing streak since. Carey's departure will significantly weaken the roster. Fellow import Jose Perez was sent home earlier in the season, so that means Jaylen Sebree is the only remaining import and he has struggled to make the impact he would have liked. The Nuggets' remaining games are against the Airs in New Plymouth on Friday and the Jets in Palmerston North on Sunday.
