Nikola Jokic unfiltered: “Don’t take me as an example”

Being one of the best and most recognizable players in the world comes with some side effects. And Nikola Jokic, after more than a decade in the NBA spotlight, seems to have had enough of one in particular: no longer being able to go unnoticed.

Appearing on the Jao Mile Podcast, the Denver Nuggets superstar spoke candidly about his relationship with fame. It is a topic Jokic has always approached differently, considering how rarely he has sought attention away from the basketball court.

I miss normality so much. Popularity bothers me more and more. It might sound bad to say, but I’m also becoming ruder to people who approach me. It’s exhausting

Nikola Jokic

Jokic: “I don’t take pictures, that’s my time”

The three-time NBA MVP admits that he has gradually set more boundaries when it comes to his relationship with fans. Not because he doesn’t understand why someone might want a picture with him, but simply because after 11-12 years of living this way, he increasingly feels the need to protect his private life.

People who know me understand that I don’t take pictures because that’s my time. I’ll probably sound rude again, but what can I do? I understand everything, but it’s been 11 or 12 years and at some point, enough is enough. It makes me feel better when someone simply tells me something rather than coming up to me like I’m at the zoo to take a picture of something

Nikola Jokic

The Serbian star has never hidden his preference for a life away from the spotlight and, even after reaching a status reserved for very few players in NBA history, he has not changed his approach.

For Nikola Jokic, the point seems to be simple: being an NBA champion is his job, but that does not necessarily mean having to play that role 24/7.

Jokic doesn’t want to be a role model for young people

Even more interesting is Jokic’s stance on the concept of a role model. For many people, a star of his caliber inevitably becomes an example for children and young people. He, however, doesn’t believe it should work that way.

Some people might not like this, but I don’t think they should take me as an example. In my life, I had positive and negative examples, but deep down I always knew what was right. For example, if I went out at 16, that didn’t mean I had to get drunk

Nikola Jokic

According to the Nuggets center, the most important influence in a young person’s development should come much more from the people who are actually part of their everyday lives than from a celebrity seen through a screen.

I don’t know how much a public figure can really influence young people. That role belongs to friends and family. I don’t think I have that much influence on young people. They tell me, ‘They look up to you.’ Well, they shouldn’t. I didn’t look up to others either. I know my opinion might not be popular, but I disagree with that

Nikola Jokic

It is another glimpse into Jokic’s personality off the court. A superstar who has won MVP awards, an NBA championship and global fame without ever seeming particularly interested in everything that normally comes with that status.

On the court, Jokic has long accepted that he is one of the faces of the NBA. Off it, however, he continues to search for something that has probably become nearly impossible for a player of his stature to have completely: a normal life.