The NBA’s spotlight shines selectively, leaving Nikola Jokic’s greatness hidden in plain sight. The Denver Nuggets center nonchalantly logged another triple-double recently in a performance that would have lit up a social media storm and unleashed endless chatter on shows had the same been from LeBron James or Stephen Curry. But Jokic’s clinical show barely grazed the headlines outside of the box score. It was yet another testament to how the league’s most understated superstar remains its most overlooked.
This confounding imbalance of coverage has become all too common for basketball traditionalists, for few exist who understand that Jokic’s substance always outweighs the style that fuels today’s sports media culture. The Serbian big man has changed the center position and accumulated a handful of MVPs in the process, but his cultural relevance remains infuriatingly out of proportion to his on-court excellence – evidence that in today’s NBA, how you play too often is less important than how loudly you play it. A certain legend – a 4x NBA All-Star and 3x All-NBA Team member as a member of the Orlando Magic – weighed in on this issue recently.
Penny Hardaway on ‘The Pivot Podcast’ explained, “I think that Jokic – if you look at him, he don’t want any of the recognition. He don’t want any of the accolades. He don’t want any of that. It’s like when he gets something, it’s like, ‘What am I getting this from? I’m just doing my job.’ So maybe that turns people off”, speaking of the unbothered and laid-back attitude of the big Serbian.
Then he said, “Jokic is just like he shies away from it. ‘I don’t want that. I’m just going to do my job for the team that pays me and I’m going to kick your ass every night.’ That’s… that’s basically what he thinks. So I think a lot of that is if you embrace it it’ll come back .“ With the last line, Penny Hardaway said that if Nikola Jokic embraces the hype, remains a little less unbothered, the hype, basketball networks, and everything else will sensationalize him.
Apr 6, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) during the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
Penny Hardaway was proven right about the unassuming and unbothered nature of the Joker. When he recalled a famous viral moment that happened with Nikola Jokic, the Serbian expressed a desire to return home after the team won the NBA title, saying, “The job is done, we can go home now,” validating Penny Hardaway’s statements.
Nikola Jokic has won it all. However, despite all that he has accomplished, he still refuses to buy into his own hype. Let us see what he has achieved, and if it calls for a little bit more fanfare.
Nikola Jokic: The superstar who rejects his own hype
Despite his extraordinary resume, which consists of three MVP awards, an NBA championship, Finals MVP honors, seven All-Star selections, and numerous statistical records, Nikola Jokić steadfastly refuses to embrace his superstar status.
The Denver Nuggets center has established himself as one of the NBA’s most dominant forces. He’s shattered positional norms by becoming the first center to lead a franchise in career assists. His triple-double production has surpassed the legendary Wilt Chamberlain. He’s joined Oscar Robertson and James Harden in the elite 40-point, 15-rebound, 15-assist club. Yet, amid this greatness, Jokić maintains a uniquely humble approach.
While other superstars cultivate their personal brands and embrace celebrity, Jokić actively shuns the spotlight. He famously missed his own MVP announcement because he was tending to his horses in Serbia. Media obligations seem to genuinely perplex him. He deflects praise to teammates and speaks about basketball as simply his job rather than his identity.
This authenticity extends beyond mere modesty – it’s a fundamental rejection of the NBA star paradigm. In a league where players often carefully craft their public personas. Jokić’s straightforward demeanor and lack of interest in fame stand out dramatically. He appears genuinely uncomfortable with the attention his excellence generates, preferring the simplicity of playing the game he loves and returning to his quiet life away from basketball.
Jokić’s rejection of hype hasn’t limited his greatness – it may actually enhance it. Free from external pressures and expectations, he plays with a joy and creativity that make him one of basketball’s most captivating figures, even as he remains one of its most reluctant superstars.
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