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“Doesn’t Workout”: Nuggets Coach’s Son on Nikola Jokic While Discussing his NHL Version

Published 11/21/2023, 8:04 PM EST

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USA Today via Reuters

We are sure that by now you have seen the viral clip of players sweating it out in the gyms while Nikola Jokic simply dances his summer away. The Joker is famously known as a guy who treats the NBA like a normal 9-5. We always see players thinking, living, and breathing basketball. Jokic, on the other hand, does not even seem to touch a ball during the offseason. To him, this is all just a job and at the end of the day, he simply just wants to go home.

Jokic has been compared to many in the league in terms of his shooting skills and playmaking. But this time around, the comparison was with players of a completely different sport.

Who is the most similar to Jokic? 

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In an episode of What Chaos! hockey show, the speakers were trying to see who would be the Nikola Jokic of the NHL. They considered many factors like his build and his skill. Their initial choice was former New York Islanders’ defenceman, Zdeno Chára. But host DJ Bean argued that Chára was all about his carefully curated diet plan. He added, “Jokic, I think, is more like, it doesn’t matter what I am, I win. So is that [Alexander] Ovechkin? Who is that in the NHL?”  

This was when Seth Jones, son of Nuggets assistant coach Popeye Jones, chimed in with, “My dad says that Jokic, he never works out. He doesn’t even play basketball in the summer. I don’t really know a player…” In the end, they agreed that Phil Kessel was the best possible choice. The former Toronto Maple Leafs right-wing has won three Stanley Cups. Both Kessel and Jokic share a similar physical build and yet have played exceptionally well.

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Nikola Jokic was doubted because of his build

Standing at 6’11 and 284 pounds, Jokic is not the most athletic person in the NBA. He often had many people doubt his skills in court because of this. Under the care of strength and conditioning coaches Steve Hess and Felipe Eichenberger, Jokic built himself to be the player he is today.

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Read More: How Pragmatic Nikola Jokic’s Mentality Boosts Denver Nuggets as a Whole – Justin Holiday Explains

By his admission, we know that back when he was in Serbia, the 5x All-Star would drink at least three liters of Coca-Cola every day. He also joked in a later interview that the last time he drank a bottle of Coke was on his flight to the USA in 2015.

His hard work and dedication to improving himself has paved the way for where he is today, as part of the defending champions, Denver Nuggets.

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What are your thoughts about Nikola Jokic as a player? Do you agree with the speaker’s choice? Let us know in the comments.

Watch this Story: Nikola Jokic’s “World Champions” Ring Unveiled, as NBA Fans Trash the $100,000+ Worth Prized Possession: “Look Cheap”

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Written by:

Ruth John

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Ruth John S is an NBA author at EssentiallySports. With a profound love for the written word, she pursued English as her major for both her undergraduate and postgraduate studies, laying the foundation for her exceptional storytelling skills. Her passion for journalism only enhanced her creative endeavor.
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Edited by:

Sameen Nawathe