Over the weekend, NBA superstar Nikola Jokic showed a side of himself that is rarely seen: with tears, exuberant cheering, and champagne at a horse race in his native Serbia.
It’s an image that basketball fans are hardly familiar with: Nikola Jokic, who is otherwise considered a stoic superstar, stands at the edge of a horse racing track, his face buried in his hands, crying. But that’s exactly what happened at the traditional Duzijanac horse race in Subotica, Serbia, when his trotter “Demon Dell’Est” left the competition behind in the home stretch.
When victory was certain, Jokic couldn’t hold back any longer: he jumped over the fence, ran towards the driver and the horse, and let his emotions run wild. At the award ceremony, he lifted the driver into the air, sprayed his team with champagne, including the horse, and doused himself. The Denver Nuggets superstar had rarely been seen so exuberant in the NBA.
More than a hobby: his love of horses
Anyone wondering why Jokic reacted more emotionally at a horse race than after winning the NBA championship needs to know his story. Since childhood, the Serbian has had a deep love for horses and trotting in particular.
His father, Branislav Jokic, runs a small horse farm near Sombor. Jokic spent many hours there long before basketball became his profession. “He always said, ‘Dad, I want to be a horse man,’” Branislav revealed in an interview after the 2023 NBA title. The answer: “Become a basketball player first, then a horse man.” Today, he is both.
