13 June 2023 , 17:46
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In the early hours of Tuesday morning in Manchester, while across the Atlantic the Denver Nuggets were winning the first NBA title in franchise history, Manchester City star Jack Grealish's epic three-day bender was finally coming to an end.
Grealish's joyous celebrations in the aftermath of the Citizens' treble win have seen him take in the sights and sounds of Istanbul, Ibiza and a stormy Manchester city centre, glugging vodka and champagne while wearing no shirt but a high-vis vest.
The 27-year-old has memories for a lifetime and a hangover for the ages. This was a man draining every last drop from the best moment of his life – the culmination of a year's hard work that yielded Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League winners' medials – and celebrating it in the only way he knows how.
After wiping away tears at Atatürk Olympic Stadium as City edged past Internazionale 1-0 to become just the second English team to win the league, cup and European Cup in the same season, Grealish was running the show, with Fleetwood Mac blaring from his boombox as he exited the mixed zone.
Two sleepless nights later, he was pictured on the back of City's open-top bus with his arms spread as eyes shut the infamous Manchester rain drenched his bare torso. "Hang it in the Loooouvre (sic)," he tweeted, embracing his roles of party animal and centre of attention.
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"Hang it in the Louvre" – Jack Grealish embraced his role as Manchester City's playmaker-turned-party-animal (Lexy Ilsley - Manchester City/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)If he did not have to turn up for England duty on Tuesday for qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia, Grealish could have carried on in the days ahead.
Some 4,500 miles away at Ball Arena, there was a different scene. For the first time in their 56-year history, the Nuggets are NBA Champions. There were joyful celebrations on the court, in the stands and on the streets as a 4-1 NBA Finals triumph over the Miami Heat was clinched with a hard-fought 94-89 win in the Mile High City.
Nikola Jokic cemented his place as finals MVP with a 28-point, 16-rebound performance. But he celebrated in the only way he knows how – reluctantly.
Jack Grealish did not hold back during Manchester City's treble celebrations (OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images)From an unenthusiastic shake and spray of the customary champagne to his low-key post-game interviews, the Serbian superstar took his signature moment in his stride. The only moment of silliness was dragging co-star Jamal Murray into the recovery pool in the locker room, not a patch on the rock-and-roll Grealish.
But it is why the 6ft 11in Jokic is as distinctive as Grealish in his own way. He is unashamedly his own man, a reluctant star who much prefers time with his family and his horses back home.
His lack of enthusiasm for Thursday's victory parade with the Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy in Denver says it all. "No, I need to go home," he replied when asked if he was excited about the celebrations.
Nikola Jokic took his moment of glory with the Denver Nuggets in his stride (Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)Grealish's excitable nature off the pitch is a perfect match for his flair on it, and Jokic is the same, understated and to the point on the court and in front of a microphone.
"We succeed in our jobs and we won the whole thing. It's an amazing feeling, but it's not everything in the world, I think. We won it, but I think it's not the most important thing in the world still," was his philosophical view of what the Nuggets had achieved.
"There is a bunch of things I like to do and maybe that's a normal thing. Nobody likes his job, or maybe they do... They are lying."
Nikola Jokic held his one-year-old daughter, Ognjena during the celebrations at Ball Arena (Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post)Jokic may not love his job, but he is mightily good at it, becoming the first player in NBA history to lead the postseason in points, rebounds and assists.
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The two-time MVP has the basketball world in his hands. He will handle it in his own way.
It is what makes Jokic and Grealish among the more endearing sports stars around. They are truly authentic to themselves, no more so than in their moments of glory.