Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets superstar and NBA MVP, almost walked away from the game before signing his massive $300 million supermax deal! This startling revelation comes from none other than former Nuggets center DeMarcus Cousins, who shared the story on the "Straight Game Podcast."
Jokic's Love for Horses Almost Trumped Basketball
Cousins recalled a conversation where Jokic expressed his desire to retire and relax in the Serbian countryside with his horses. "When I was with Denver, our lockers were next to each other... I'm like, 'Yours is going to be crazy!' He was like, 'You know, Cuz, I honestly think I might retire before this contract,'" Cousins said, clearly stunned by Jokic's willingness to forgo such a huge payday.
Cousins jokingly urged him to "Sign the contract and just get fat at worst. Don't pass up on the $300 million!" He even suggested Jokic could buy more horses with the money.
Doesn't Even Care About Basketball?!
This isn't the first time Jokic's apparent disinterest in basketball has been noted. Cousins also emphasized that Jokic doesn't care much about playing in the NBA, stating, "If you ever get a chance to just hold a conversation with him... he really doesn't give a f**k about this s**t. He doesn't care. At all. This is like his second or third favorite thing to do. Maybe third or fourth. Most games, when he's dropping these crazy stats, he probably doesn't want to be there. And that's the scary part about all of it."
While a Nuggets executive stated that there is no worry on retaining Jokic long term, and that passing on the veteran extension now is the smart move from Jokic's side, it's still a wild situation to comprehend. Can you imagine the NBA without the Joker?
It seems Jokic's love for his horses and the Serbian countryside almost outweighed the allure of NBA superstardom. Fortunately for Nuggets fans (and basketball fans in general), he chose to stay, leading Denver to a championship and continuing to amaze with his unique talent and seemingly nonchalant approach to the game.