Nikola Jokić facts for kids

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Nikola Jokić

Jokić with the Denver Nuggets in 2020

No. 15 – Denver Nuggets

Center

Personal information

Born

February 19, 1995 (age 30)
Sombor, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia

Nationality

Serbian

Listed height

6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)

Listed weight

284 lb (129 kg)

Career information

NBA Draft

2014 / Round: 2 / Pick: 41st overall

Selected by the Denver Nuggets

Pro career

2012–present

League

NBA

Career history

2012–2015

Mega Basket

2015–present

Denver Nuggets

Career highlights and awards

NBA champion (2023)
NBA Finals MVP (2023)
3× NBA Most Valuable Player (2021, 2022, 2024)
7× NBA All-Star (2019–2025)
4× All-NBA First Team (2019, 2021, 2022, 2024)
2× All-NBA Second Team (2020, 2023)
NBA All-Rookie First Team (2016)
4× Serbian Player of the Year (2018, 2021, 2022, 2024)
ABA League MVP (2015)
ABA League Top Prospect (2015)

Medals

Men's basketball

Representing Serbia
Olympic Games
Silver	2016 Rio de Janeiro	Team
Bronze	2024 Paris	Team
U19 World Championship
Silver	2013 Czech Republic	Team

Nikola Jokić (born February 19, 1995) is a professional basketball player from Serbia. He plays as a center for the Denver Nuggets in the National Basketball Association (NBA). People often call him "the Joker." Many think he is one of the best basketball players and centers ever. He is also seen as one of the greatest draft steals in NBA history.

Jokić has been an NBA All-Star seven times. He has also been named to the All-NBA Team six times. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award three times (in 2021, 2022, and 2024). He plays for the Serbian national team. With them, he won a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics.

The Nuggets picked Jokić in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft. He was chosen for the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016. In the 2022–23 NBA season, Jokić won the NBA Finals MVP. He led the Nuggets to their first-ever NBA championship. He is among the top players for most triple-doubles in NBA history. He also holds the record for the fastest triple-double ever, which he got in just 14 minutes and 33 seconds!

Early Life and Basketball Beginnings

Jokić was born in Sombor, a city in northern Serbia. He grew up in a small apartment with his parents, grandmother, and two older brothers. His father was an agricultural engineer. Nikola loved basketball from a young age. He played with his brothers, Strahinja and Nemanja, who were much older and also played basketball.

Nikola also loved harness racing as a child. He even competed as an amateur. This passion for horses is something he still enjoys today.

Professional Basketball Journey

Starting in Serbia (2012–2015)

Jokić began his youth basketball career with Vojvodina Srbijagas. He then signed with Mega Vizura in December 2012. In his first season, he mostly played for their junior team. By 2013, he signed a four-year contract with Mega Vizura.

During the 2013–14 season, Jokić played more for the main team. He averaged 11.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game in the Adriatic League. In the 2014 NBA draft, the Denver Nuggets picked him as the 41st overall choice.

In the 2014–15 ABA League season, Jokić became one of the league's best players. He averaged 15.4 points and led the league with 9.3 rebounds per game. He was named the Adriatic League MVP and the ABA League Top Prospect for that season. In June 2015, Jokić left Mega Basket to start his NBA career.

Joining the Denver Nuggets (2015–Present)

First NBA Seasons (2015–2018)

Jokić joined the Denver Nuggets in the summer of 2015. He signed his contract after playing well in the summer league. In his first season (2015–16), he showed great potential. He finished third in the NBA Rookie of the Year Award voting and made the NBA All-Rookie First Team.

In the 2016–17 season, Jokić continued to improve. He had his first career triple-double in February 2017. A triple-double means a player gets double-digit numbers in three stats, like points, rebounds, and assists. He had six triple-doubles that season. Fans even started calling December 15 "Jokmas" because that's when the team decided to build their offense around him.

The 2017–18 season was big for Jokić. He scored a career-high 41 points in November 2017. On February 15, 2018, he made NBA history by getting the fastest triple-double ever, in just 14 minutes and 33 seconds! He ended the season with 10 triple-doubles.

Jokić playing in 2018

Becoming an All-Star (2018–2020)

In July 2018, Jokić signed a huge contract extension with the Nuggets. He started the 2018–19 season strong, getting a triple-double in the second game. He became only the second player in NBA history to get a triple-double with 30 or more points without missing a shot. He was also named the Serbian Basketball Player of the Year for 2018.

In January 2019, Jokić earned his first NBA All-Star selection. He was the first Nuggets player to be an All-Star since 2011. He also made the All-NBA First Team after the season. In the 2019 NBA playoffs, Jokić had a triple-double in his very first playoff game. He even set a Nuggets playoff record with 43 points in one game.

The 2019–20 season saw Jokić hit game-winning shots in back-to-back games in November 2019. He was selected for his second All-Star game. In the 2020 NBA playoffs, the Nuggets made amazing comebacks. They became the first team in NBA history to win two playoff series after being down 3–1. Jokić led them to the Western Conference Finals.

Winning MVP Awards (2020–2022)

The 2020–21 season was incredible for Jokić. He started with four triple-doubles in his first six games. He became the first center since Wilt Chamberlain in 1968 to get 18 assists in a game. In March 2021, he got his 50th career triple-double. He was only the ninth player in NBA history to reach this milestone.

Jokić played in every game that season and led the Nuggets to a strong record. He led the league in many important stats. For his amazing performance, Jokić won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He was the first center to win it since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000. He was also the first player in Nuggets history to win MVP.

Jokić shooting over Nikola Vučević in a game against Orlando Magic in March 2021

In the 2021–22 season, Jokić continued his dominance. He recorded his 60th triple-double in December 2021, passing Larry Bird on the all-time list. He was selected for his fourth straight All-Star game. In March 2022, he had an incredible game with 46 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists, plus three steals and four blocks! He became the second-fastest player to reach 10,000 points, 5,000 rebounds, and 3,000 assists.

Jokić finished the 2021–22 season leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks, and field goal percentage. He became the first player in NBA history to do this! For the second year in a row, Jokić was named the NBA Most Valuable Player. He was the 13th player ever to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

Jokić at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game

NBA Champion and Finals MVP (2022–2023)

On July 1, 2022, Jokić signed the richest contract in NBA history at the time. In November 2022, he passed Wilt Chamberlain for the most triple-doubles ever by a center. In December, he had a career-high 27 rebounds along with 40 points and 10 assists. He was the first player since Chamberlain in 1968 to have such a game.

On December 25, 2022, Jokić had 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists. He became only the third player in NBA history to have a game with at least 40 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists. In February 2023, he recorded his 100th career triple-double, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to do so. He also became the first center in NBA history to lead a team in career assists.

Jokić led the Nuggets to the top spot in the Western Conference playoffs for the first time ever. He led the league in triple-doubles with 29. He also became the only player to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists on at least 60% shooting in a single season.

In the 2023 NBA playoffs, Jokić continued to shine. He had his eighth career playoff triple-double in the first round. In the Western Conference Semifinals, he set a playoff career-high with 53 points in one game. He also broke Wilt Chamberlain's record for most playoff triple-doubles by a center.

Jokić led the Nuggets to the 2023 NBA Finals, their first in franchise history. He was named the NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award. In Game 3 of the Finals, he made history again. He became the first player ever to record 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in an NBA Finals game. He finished the playoffs with 10 triple-doubles, breaking Chamberlain's record for most in a single postseason.

Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, Jokić and Jamal Murray celebrating the NBA championship in Denver

In Game 5 of the Finals, Jokić led the Nuggets to their first NBA championship. He was named the Finals MVP unanimously. He became the lowest draft pick in NBA history to win this award. He also became the first player in NBA history to lead the entire postseason in total points, rebounds, and assists.

Third MVP and More Records (2023–2025)

Jokić started the 2023–24 season with a triple-double. He became only the third reigning Finals MVP to do so. In November 2023, he passed LeBron James and Jason Kidd for fourth place on the all-time triple-doubles list. He also joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only players with 10 games of at least 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists.

In December 2023, Jokić became the first player in NBA history with 10-plus triple-doubles in seven straight seasons. He also joined Wilt Chamberlain as the only players to record a triple-double on 100% shooting in multiple games. In January 2024, he was named a Western Conference starter for his sixth straight All-Star game.

In February 2024, Jokić recorded his 120th career triple-double. He became the first player in NBA history to get 27 points, 22 rebounds, 12 assists, a steal, and 2 blocks in a game. He also joined LeBron James and Russell Westbrook as the only players to get a triple-double against every NBA team.

On May 8, 2024, Jokić won his third MVP award. He became only the ninth player in NBA history to win the award at least three times. He also became just the second player ever to have at least 2,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 700 assists in a season.

In the 2024–25 season, Jokić continued to break records. In October 2024, he had back-to-back 40-point games for the first time. He also became the second player in NBA history to get 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists in a game. In December 2024, he passed Magic Johnson for third place on the NBA's all-time triple-doubles list. He also scored a career-high 56 points in a game.

Playing Style

Nikola Jokić is 6 feet 11 inches tall and weighs 284 pounds. He plays as a center. He is known as one of the best passing "big men" in NBA history. Some even say he is one of the greatest passers of all time!

Jokić uses his height and great court vision to set up his teammates for scores. He often makes amazing no-look passes and unique throws. His one-handed passes are so good that people compare them to a water polo player's throws. He plays at a calm pace, always looking for openings in the defense. His teammates say they always have to be ready for his unexpected passes!

Besides his passing, Jokić is also a great scorer. He can score close to the basket, from mid-range, and even from the three-point line. His special move is called the "Sombor Shuffle." He jumps off one foot and shoots a high-arching fadeaway shot. This move is very hard for defenders to block.

Many people call Jokić a "basketball genius" because of how smart he plays and how creative he is on offense.

Career Statistics

Legend
GP	Games played	GS	Games started	MPG	Minutes per game
FG%	Field goal percentage	3P%	3-point field goal percentage	FT%	Free throw percentage
RPG	Rebounds per game	APG	Assists per game	SPG	Steals per game
BPG	Blocks per game	PPG	Points per game	Bold	Career high

NBA

Regular season

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2015–16	Denver	80	55	21.7	.512	.333	.811	7.0	2.4	1.0	.6	10.0
2016–17	Denver	73	59	27.9	.577	.324	.825	9.8	4.9	.8	.8	16.7
2017–18	Denver	75	73	32.6	.500	.396	.850	10.7	6.1	1.2	.8	18.5
2018–19	Denver	80	80	31.3	.511	.307	.821	10.8	7.3	1.4	.7	20.1
2019–20	Denver	73	73*	32.0	.528	.314	.817	9.7	7.0	1.2	.6	19.9
2020–21	Denver	72*	72*	34.6	.566	.388	.868	10.8	8.3	1.3	.7	26.4
2021–22	Denver	74	74	33.5	.583	.337	.810	13.8	7.9	1.5	.9	27.1
2022–23	Denver	69	69	33.7	.632	.383	.822	11.8	9.8	1.3	.7	24.5
2023–24	Denver	79	79	34.6	.583	.359	.817	12.4	9.0	1.4	.9	26.4
Career		675	634	31.2	.557	.350	.827	10.7	6.9	1.2	.7	20.9
All-Star		6	4	18.2	.690	.500	—	6.0	4.8	1.0	.2	7.3

Playoffs

Year	Team	GP	GS	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2019	Denver	14	14	39.7	.506	.393	.846	13.0	8.4	1.1	.9	25.1
2020	Denver	19	19	36.5	.519	.429	.835	9.8	5.7	1.1	.8	24.4
2021	Denver	10	10	34.5	.509	.377	.836	11.6	5.0	.6	.9	29.8
2022	Denver	5	5	34.2	.575	.278	.848	13.2	5.8	1.6	1.0	31.0
2023	Denver	20	20	39.4	.548	.461	.799	13.5	9.5	1.1	1.0	30.0
2024	Denver	12	12	40.2	.545	.264	.901	13.4	8.7	1.4	.7	28.7
Career		80	80	38.0	.531	.390	.837	12.3	7.5	1.1	.9	27.7

ABA League

Sources:

Year	Team	League	GP	MPG	FG%	3P%	FT%	RPG	APG	SPG	BPG	PPG
2013–14	Mega Basket	ABA League	26	25.0	.636	.221	.667	6.4	2.0	0.8	1.0	11.4
2014–15	Mega Basket	ABA League	24	30.5	.593	.346	.667	9.3	3.5	1.5	0.9	15.4

Amazing Records and Achievements

Nikola Jokić holds many impressive records in the NBA:

He has the highest single-season player efficiency rating (PER) in NBA history.
He has the most regular season triple-doubles by a center.
He has the most playoff triple-doubles by a center.
He holds the record for the fastest triple-double in NBA history (14 minutes and 33 seconds). This is even a Guinness World Record!
He is the only NBA player drafted in the second round to win the MVP award.
He is the only NBA player to get at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds, and 500 assists in one season.
He is the only NBA player to average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists per game while shooting 60% from the field in a season.
He is the only NBA player to lead his team in all five major stats (points, rebounds, assists, steals, blocks) and field goal percentage in the same season.
He is the first player in NBA history to record 30+ points, 20+ rebounds, and 10+ assists in an NBA Finals game.
He is the first player in NBA history to lead all players in points, rebounds, and assists in a single postseason.
He has the most triple-doubles in a single postseason (10).

National Team Career

Jokić has proudly represented Serbia in international competitions.

Junior Team Success

He was part of the Serbian U-19 national team that won a silver medal at the 2013 FIBA Under-19 World Championship.

Senior Team Medals

Jokić defending Kevin Durant at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro

Jokić helped Serbia win a silver medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. They lost to the United States in the final game.

He also played for Serbia at the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. Serbia finished in fifth place. In 2022, Jokić returned to the national team for the EuroBasket 2022. In 2024, he led Serbia to a bronze medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. He became the first player in Olympic history to lead the tournament in points, rebounds, and assists.

Personal Life

When Jokić first came to Denver, he lived with his girlfriend and his two older brothers. On October 24, 2020, he married his longtime girlfriend, Natalija Mačešić, in his hometown of Sombor. Nikola and Natalija have two children: a daughter named Ognjena, born in September 2021, and a son named Ignjat, born in November 2024.

Images for kids

Jokić with the Denver Nuggets in 2020
Jokić playing in 2018
Jokić shooting over Nikola Vučević in a game against Orlando Magic in March 2021
Jokić at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game
Nuggets owner Stan Kroenke, Jokić and Jamal Murray celebrating the NBA championship in Denver
Jokić defending Kevin Durant at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro