Now that the 2023 FIBA World Cup has begun, NBA fans were quick to notice that Nikola Jokic isn’t participating this time. As many of us might be aware, the Nuggets star is from Serbia, a country in South Eastern Europe. He brought quite a lot of pride to his nation by being the most successful basketball player that the country has produced.
As a result of his latest success, many Serbian basketball fans might have expected him to do the same for his national team at the 2023 FIBA World Cup. However, reports have emerged indicating that the Joker will be missing the entire FIBA tournament. With that being said, let us take a closer look and find out why he will not be representing his country this time around.
Nikola Jokic will miss the 2023 FIBA World Cup due to physical and mental exhaustion
One can only imagine how the past several months have been for the Joker. As most NBA fans should be able to recall, his team managed to make it all the way to the NBA Finals and win the title. By doing so, Jokic and his squad brought the Nuggets their first championship in league history.
Since the NBA season ended in April, half the league had already begun their offseason all the way back then. On the other hand, NBA Finalists such as the Nuggets continued to play extremely high-level basketball all the way until June.
Fans must certainly wonder what it took Jokic to eliminate the Timberwolves, Suns, Lakers, and Heat in consecutive matchups in order to win. Hence, it was no real surprise when Serbia’s coach Svetislav Pesic released a statement on Jokic’s status for the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
“With Jokic, we had several conversations, and I must say they were some of the best conversations I’ve had with players who couldn’t make it to the roster. He’s physically and mentally exhausted. He’s not feeling ready to take responsibility at the moment.”
The Joker was top 3 in rebounding AND assisting in 2022-23 🤯
11.8 RPG (3rd in NBA)
9.8 APG (3rd in NBA)Nikola Jokic, point center. #BestOfNBA pic.twitter.com/wABSkGfeyL
— NBA (@NBA) July 26, 2023
It would undoubtedly place quite a lot of pressure on the NBA Finals MVP to lead his national team to a FIBA World Cup victory within just months of winning an NBA championship. Although fans from Serbia are likely disappointed, they should still feel quite certain that Jokic will be representing his country next year in the 2024 Olympics.