Nikola Jokic is arguably the best player in the NBA. He has won two MVP trophies and earned five All-Star and All-NBA selections. He will capture his first championship ring this year if his Nuggets can defeat the Heat.
But the 28-year-old center has never been concerned with receiving the most votes for individual awards or building up a personal brand. For Jokic, there is only his family — and everything else comes after that.
"Basketball is not the main thing in my life, and [it] probably never is going to be," Jokic said ahead of the NBA Finals. "And, to be honest, I like it because I have something more at home that is more important than basketball. ...
"Especially when you get bad days, good days, when you go home, it's always normal. And I think that's the best thing."
Anyone who has seen how Jokic operates knows that he is simply telling the truth. His family is the biggest source of joy in his life.
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Nikola Jokic's family tree
Older brothers: Nemanja and Strahinja Jokic
Nikola's brothers, Nemanja and Strahinja, have been standing alongside him through every step of his journey, from his humble beginnings in Sombor, Serbia, to NBA superstardom in Denver.
Back in 2016, Nikola told Slam that he "fell in love with basketball because of [his brothers]." Strahinja played professionally in Europe, and Nemanja received a scholarship to Detroit Mercy. (While in Detroit, Nemanja lived with former Pistons center Darko Milicic.)
"I made mistakes," Nemanja told Sports Illustrated in 2017. “When I was young, basketball wasn't my No. 1 priority. Going out, having fun, drinking, girls, that was my No. 1 priority. I was making my own decisions — 'I'm not going to practice' — when I still needed family support. That's what I was missing."
Nemanja made sure that Nikola would have the support he was missing. Nemanja and Strahinja moved to Denver with Nikola when he decided to make the jump to the NBA in 2015. They lived with Nikola and his then-girlfriend in a three-bedroom apartment.
"He's an intelligent guy and I'm confident he wouldn't get off track here," Nemanja told SI. "But this is such an important time and I want him to have the kind of support I didn't. I always tell him, 'You're living my dream. Don't take it for granted. Don't make the mistakes we made.'"
Nemanja and Strahinja have continued to be a strong presence in Nikola's life. Don't be surprised if you see them on a Finals broadcast. (They'll probably be yelling about a crazy pass Nikola just made.)
Wife and daughter: Natalija and Ognjena Jokic
Nikola has been married to his wife, Natalija, since October 2020. They tied the knot in their hometown of Sombor.
Nikola and Natalija have been a couple since their teenage years. Natalija moved to the United States before Nikola in order to attend college, and they began living in Denver together when Nikola joined the Nuggets ahead of the 2015-16 season.
While Denver is their current home, they enjoy returning to Sombor as much as possible.
"After my career is over, I'm gonna go back there," Nikola told Bleacher Report in 2017. "It's super slow — not too much going on — but you have everything. You have a canal, nature; you can get peace of mind outside the city. I just like to be someplace where I know how to drive a car without navigation.
"How I say, no place like home? Something like that."
Nikola and Natalija welcomed their daughter, Ognjena, in September 2021. Last year, he told reporters how his family energizes him and brings him a new sense of happiness.
"I always say [Natalija] is the MVP of our family," Jokic said. "She is doing so much for us and for the baby. I'm really happy that I have her, and that makes me so happy just to see her face when the baby sees Natalija. It’s amazing. I love it."