NBA Finals MVP Displays 'Sportsmanship at Its Finest' Seconds After His Team Wins 1st Title
Two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić offered a master class in humility and sportsmanship in Denver on Monday night as he led the Nuggets to the franchise’s first title.
At 28, the towering Serbian center was crowned Finals MVP after defeating the Miami Heat in five games in a best-of-seven series.
Game five appeared as if it could have gone either way, even into the final minute. But a 94 – 89 victory sealed the win and ended the season.
Coloradans and Nuggest fans everywhere can thank Jokić for making Denver the latest city to celebrate a title.
While basketball is a team sport, Jokić is the game’s most talented player and his numbers in these NBA playoffs were otherworldly:
The first player in 𝐍𝐁𝐀 𝐇𝐈𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘 to lead the playoffs in points, rebounds and assists 🃏
Nikola Jokic is your NBA Finals MVP 🏆 pic.twitter.com/ra6ljV8cx0
— FanDuel (@FanDuel) June 13, 2023
It could be argued he singlehandedly pulled the Nuggets out of hoops irrelevancy and brought a bit of geographic parity to the team’s conference.
The Nuggets have been an also-ran since the team was founded in 1974. Meanwhile, the only teams in the Western Conference to win NBA titles since 1979 have been based in either California or Texas – until Monday.
The man of the hour was his stoic self after arguably the biggest night of his professional life.
In a season in which a third consecutive league MVP award was deserved but arguably tanked by race-baiting ESPN talking head Kendrick Perkins, nothing ever took Jokić off course.
He led his team to a championship the right way and up until the end remained a steadfast ambassador for sportsmanship.
He definitely didn’t forget to thank a dejected Miami team, led by Jimmy Butler, for showing up and showing out.
Jokić paused to personally exchange pleasantries with Butler, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry and as many Heat players as he could before he celebrated his historic night and season.
As ESPN noted, the Serb’s actions were a display of “sportsmanship at its finest.”
Jokic went up to every Heat player before celebrating winning the #NBAFinals
Sportsmanship at its finest 👏 pic.twitter.com/L4xLqQT6HR
— ESPN (@espn) June 13, 2023
Those who watched Denver’s dominance throughout the season shouldn’t be the least bit surprised by how Jokić handled winning — which was the right way.
The team’s quiet, family-first superstar was born in 1995 and grew up in Serbia during a time of war in the Balkans. Jokić’s humility is arguably a mix of nurture, nature and a rare perspective of the harsh realities of life.
In any event, Jokić has lost some heartbreaking games in his time with Denver and he now has nearly every coveted accolade in what will be a Hall of Fame career.
Unlike LeBron James, who is viewed generally as the face of the NBA, Jokić wins and loses with class.
He never huffs his way off the court and in the biggest moment of his career, his thoughts were not only on a personal victory but on the team that fell short.
Jokić is a breath of fresh air in a league that three years ago was hijacked by egocentricity, fealty to China and the politics of the far-left.
With James’ skills and brand in decline, the game of basketball could use a new spokesman – even if that person doesn’t always have a lot to say:
“That’s why basketball is a fun sport.”
“The job is done. We can go home now.”
Nikola Jokic’s indifference toward his own greatness is endlessly endearing.
— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) June 13, 2023
But whether or not Jokić takes the mantle as the new face of a new NBA, the 2023 NBA playoffs will be remembered for how an absolutely dominant athlete won with modesty and class for a league in need of an image reboot.
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