[BasketNews] Nikola Jokic shares rare personal stories: Going to bars at age 10
Nikola Jokic, usually private off the court, revealed in a rare interview that he grew up frequenting Serbian pubs from a young age, developing a deep love for music, social gatherings, and learning life lessons from his dad.
Denver Nuggets three-time MVP Nikola Jokic is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.
Yet off the court, he remains a mystery since he doesn’t use social media and rarely shares details about his personal life, aside from his well-known passion for horses.
Now, however, Jokic has opened up in a way fans have never seen before. On X&O’s Chat, he sat down in front of the cameras and answered questions that people have long wanted to ask.
In one video excerpt, Jokic revealed that he started going to bars at a surprisingly young age. Though it was not his initiative.
“For me, the company at the table – that’s the biggest highlight of the party. I went to concerts, discos, clubs, both foreign and domestic, rock. For me, the centerpiece of the party is the tambourine players, probably because of where I grew up,” Jokic said.
“I used to go to the pub with my dad when I was 10 years old,” he added. “That may sound bad now, but I’m grateful for that. I would like people to behave in a pub the way my dad did. He’s matured now, but back then, the pub was an institution to him.
“I learned songs, how to behave, how to order drinks, how to call the waiter, what drinks to drink, how to act after you break a glass. My dad never broke the glass. I never saw him do that, but I did, multiple times.”
The full podcast is set to premiere Sunday evening in the European time zone.
Meanwhile, Jokic continues to dominate the NBA, currently averaging a triple-double this season with 28.6 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game.