Nikola Jokic speaks with NBA referees
Nikola Jokic took center stage at the Denver Nuggets training camp, engaging in a long conversation with NBA referees and competing in the team’s first high-intensity scrimmages
The Nuggets kicked off camp with great energy, and one particular scene drew immediate attention: Nikola Jokic spent considerable time talking with NBA referees Marc Davis, Jacyn Goble, and J.T. Orr, who were invited to officiate an intra-squad scrimmage.
After the game, the Serbian center stayed on the court to discuss several calls with the officials, even demonstrating specific plays to make his point.
The practice ended with a tight internal matchup, finishing 35–32, where Jamal Murray’s team edged out Jokic’s. It was a sign of how sharp and competitive Denver already looks early in the preseason.
Assistant coach David Adelman praised the overall condition of the group, noting that the team’s approach to camp has been much stronger compared to last year, when physical issues affected them from the start.
Among the lighter moments of the San Diego camp was a joke from newcomer Jonas Valanciunas, who laughed about not chatting much with Jokic:
We both have jet lag, so we don’t talk much
Jonas Valanciunas
The San Diego training camp immediately showed how locked in the Nuggets are: Jokic debating with referees, Murray leading his team in a close battle, and Valanciunas adding humor to the mix. If these are the early signs, the preseason will just serve to warm up the engines – Denver clearly intends to push hard right from the start.