Fans Go Wild Over Nikola Jokić’s Viral Encounter Ahead of EuroBasket 2025

Think of Will Smith in Men in Black, striding into headquarters like he owns the place, only for the security guard to stop him mid-step and ask for clearance. Sure, it’s the guard’s job, but for someone like Agent J, it’s a little jarring. Now swap the MIB lobby for a EuroBasket 2025 arena, the clearance badge for FIBA credentials, and you’ve got the same kind of moment, and yes, it happened to someone very famous. Think: a certain Serbian three-time MVP.

EuroBasket 2025 is almost here, tipping off August 27 and running through September 14 across Cyprus, Finland, Latvia, and Poland, with the big finale set for Arena Riga in Latvia. 24 nations are in the mix, and the preliminary rosters are already loaded with star power. We are talking Nikola Jokić suiting up for Serbia, Giannis Antetokounmpo leading Greece, Luka Dončić repping Slovenia, and Kristaps Porziņģis ready for Latvia. These lineups are not locked yet, so we might still see a few surprises before the first tipoff, but the most shocking surprise came from Serbia’s star.

A video of Nikola Jokić from the event is making the rounds online, and it is pure gold. As posted by Eurohoops on Instagram, the three-time MVP couldn’t get in without showing his accreditation—yep, even the NBA’s best has to flash the pass. The security team treated him just like everyone else, and the internet quickly ran with the idea that he wasn’t recognised. But hold up, that is probably not true, because the rules say even a ring bearer has to get their credentials scanned into the system.

Nikola Jokić was not at EuroBasket 2025 just to hype the players or watch the game; he is playing this time. The last time he wore a EuroBasket uniform was in 2022, and he dominated. “Numbers that made him Serbia’s de facto floor general,” as one reporter put it.

And the scary part?

This roster runs deep. Jokić may be the headline, but he’s flanked by Bogdanović, Jović, OKC’s rising star Nikola Topić, and Wizards big man Tristan Vukčević from the NBA side. From the EuroLeague, you’ve got floor general Vasilije Micić, wing scorer Marko Gudurić, rebounding machine Nikola Milutinov, and sharpshooter Vanja Marinković. Almost everyone here has NBA or EuroLeague experience. Put it all together, and you’ve got a mix of skill, size, and big-game pedigree. With Jokić orchestrating it all, this isn’t just a good team—it’s one that could finally bring Serbia its first EuroBasket title in over two decades.

Fans react to Nikola Jokic’s viral moment

“They will remember.” That’s what one fan said, and you’ll realize it’s true after watching Serbia dismantle Greece 76–66 in their EuroBasket warm-up. And honestly, how could they not? Jokić dropped 23 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and handed out 4 assists like it was nothing. That 17–8 second quarter? Pure control. Even when Greece made it tight late, Serbia shut the door, with Aleksa Avramović hitting a clutch triple. No Giannis Antetokounmpo on the floor, but it was still Serbia’s third straight win in prep games and a loud reminder that this squad is locked in.

“Jokic: ‘You don’t know me? I’m Nikola Jokic, champion of horse race.’” It sounds like a joke, but if you know Jokić, you know it’s also kind of true. Basketball might be what he’s famous for, but horses are what he’s loved the longest. Back in Sombor, he’d skip basketball practice to hang out at the racetrack. The man owns a stable, trains winners, and once flew home days after winning Denver’s first title just to catch a race. As he once put it, “The best sound in the world is the sound of a horse eating.” Tell me that’s not peak Jokić energy.

“What is the big deal? Jokic isn’t even phased by it!” That’s the thing, he wasn’t. No raised eyebrows, no shocked expression. Just a guy locked in on the bigger picture. This is the same player who averaged 21.7 points, 10 boards, and nearly 4.5 assists at EuroBasket 2022. The same guy who returned to the national team after Serbia’s Olympic bronze without him screams one thing: gold. He’s not in Cyprus to vibe. He’s there to transform the floor, make his teammates better, and finally bring Serbia its first EuroBasket title since 2001.

“It’s not Jokic, it’s his twin brother 🤣🤣🤣” Sure, it’s obviously Jokić in the clip, but if you’ve ever seen his brother Strahinja, you get why people joke. Strahinja’s a former pro baller, trained in MMA, and… let’s just say “intense” doesn’t quite cover it. Nikola once told Sports Illustrated how his brother held down his arms and threw knives around his head. “That was a little crazy,” he said. Crazy, sure. But also fiercely loyal — the kind of loyalty that sometimes gets Strahinja into trouble at games.

“Just imagine that you do this to an American player🫣🤣 Hey bro u knaw who am I? Wtf u doin huh? That is racism bro! Yo no respect my ancestors bro!” The point? NBA players tend to react differently when security doesn’t recognize them. Just ask Celtics guard Payton Pritchard or Lakers’ Austin Reaves, who once got stopped at Barclays Center on his way to the bench. Jeremy Lin? He was blocked from the players’ entrance at Madison Square Garden because a guard thought he was a trainer. So yeah, not everyone would’ve handled it with Jokić’s calm shrug.

But hey, this is going to be one of the videos that will be saved in the legendary Nikola Jokić moments file on the internet!