Nikola Jokic sends message with decision expected over World Cup role for Serbia

24 July 2023 , 14:18

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Nikola Jokic won the NBA Finals MVP with the Denver Nuggets (Image: AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

NBA star Nikola Jokic will reportedly not take part in this year’s FIBA World Cup.

The Denver Nuggets centre has been enjoying his time off after helping his team win the NBA Championship in June. Jokic helped make franchise history as the Nuggets won their first ever title in 2022/23.

Jokic starred for the Nuggets as they beat the Miami Heat 4-1 in the NBA Finals. The 28-year-old won the finals MVP, after missing out on the award for the whole season to Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid.

He had won the NBA MVP award in the previous two seasons, and has established as one of the best players in the world. Jokic averaged 30.2 points per game with 14.0 rebounds and 7.2 assists.

After the season concluded, attention soon moved towards what the summer holds for basketball. In terms of the NBA, there was the draft on June 22 followed by the Summer League in Las Vegas a few weeks later.

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However, on the national stage, the FIBA World Cup takes place this August. Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines play host to the tournament which begins on August 25 and runs until September 10.

Jokic was a possible option for Serbia in this year’s tournament. But it seems that those hoping to see the Nuggets star at the World Cup will be left disappointed.

According to , Jokic will not be part of the Serbia roster to play in the World Cup. It’s been claimed that Jokic has informed the country’s head coach, Svetislav Pesic, that he will not play in the tournament.

Nikola Jokic helped the Denver Nuggets win their first ever NBA Championship last season (Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

Reports first emerged after the NBA Finals that Jokic may decide not to play in the World Cup. But there was hope for Serbia that the center could change his mind after suggestions that it would be agreed he would get an extended rest to be able to play in the tournament.

Now, though, it seems that Jokic will not be playing in the biggest international basketball tournament. Instead, he will get extra rest ahead of the 2023/24 NBA season with the Nuggets.

Training camps are due to begin in September, as teams currently get their rosters together with free agency and potential trades. Jokic will return to Denver for the training camps in a couple of months time, ahead of a busy season ahead.

The 2023/24 NBA season is due to start in mid-October, with the full schedule yet to be announced. Jokic will go into the season looking to help Denver win another title, with the franchise likely to be one of the favourites from the Western Conference.

Mark Wakefield