The small country of Serbia has given the world not one but two of the greatest athletes of this generation – Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic. While Novak Djokovic is indisputably the best tennis player in the world right now, Jokic has gained a reputation for being one of the best NBA centers. However, both the star players have more in common than impressive resumes. Following Djokovic’s impressive feat at the US Open and his 24th Grand Slam title win, corresponding to the late Kobe Bryant’s jersey number, he was compared to Jokic for a peculiar reason.

What else do Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic have in common?

The Denver Nuggets center led the team to their first-ever NBA Championship in the 2022-23 season and was awarded the NBA Finals MVP honor for his outstanding performance. On the other hand, the 36-year-old Djokovic became the first man to ever win three Grand Slam events four times in the same season. While both legends hail from Serbia, they have one more thing in common – their nickname. Ironically, they both share the nickname – Joker. But why are they dubbed as Joker? And no, it has nothing to do with the supervillain from DC Comics.

Jokic was given the nickname by former teammate Mike Miller. Interestingly, he found it difficult to pronounce his last name. So, to make things easier for the crowd, he did a little wordplay and coined a more Americanized version of Jokic’s last name – Joker. On the other hand, Djokovic is called the Joker because of his playful nature and humorous personality. He often interacts with fans during the games and makes them laugh with his antics. He is also known to star in funny commercials where he was seen being goofy while dressed up in funny outfits. This Joker recently made his country proud after winning his fourth US Open to match Margaret Court’s record haul of 24 Grand-Slams.

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Novak Djokovic pays tribute to late Kobe Bryant

After winning the title, Djokovic adorned a t-shirt with a picture of his late friend Kobe Bryant. The t-shirt had the words “Mamba Forever” printed on the front, with Kobe’s jersey number 24 on the back. This was to pay tribute to his long-time friend who supported him through the most challenging years of his career. Djokovic revealed that Kobe Bryant was the one who helped him when he was struggling with an elbow injury back in 2017.

He said, “His passing hurt me deeply and 24 is the jersey he wore at Lakers so I thought it would be nice to acknowledge him.”

9 Months After Licking His Lips Over Nikola Jokic, Shaquille O’Neal Makes Surprising Dwight Howard Endorsement

Both the legends have made their country proud in their respective fields. With the upcoming NBA season just around the corner, fans anticipate Jokic to deliver another record-breaking performance.

Watch this story: Celebrating Novak Djokovic and Nikola Jokic’s Massive Feat With 6 Million People, Shaquille O’Neal Lauds 17YO Motherland