Nikola Jokic is widely regarded as the best basketball player on the planet right now and one of the greatest centers in history. A three-time NBA MVP and 2023 champion with the Denver Nuggets, the Serbian big man has already carved out a place in the game’s pantheon – and he may well climb even higher depending on what he achieves in the coming years. His legacy is already secure, etched in gold in the annals of basketball history.
But like anyone who reaches global fame, there was a time when no one had heard of him. In this case, it was Marc Gasol who looked back to May 23, 2009 – the date of Darko Milicic’s wedding.
Milicic, the Serbian center infamously picked second overall in the 2003 draft ahead of Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade, was tying the knot with the woman who remains his wife to this day. Speaking on the Out of the Mud podcast with his former Memphis Grizzlies teammates Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, Gasol shared an anecdote from that day about his first contact with the Jokic family – specifically, the player’s two brothers, known for their fiery personalities and occasional altercations in NBA arenas.
The day Gasol unknowingly met Jokic
“I’m in a wedding in Serbia [Darko Milicic’s] and I see these two guys,” said Gasol, raising his eyebrows at the memory. Randolph jumped in to call them “crazy,” cracking up alongside Allen. Gasol continued: “Obviously we’re all celebrating, we’re all happy, and they come up to me and say, ‘Hey man! I‘ve got a brother who plays like you. He’s very good, very talented.’
[embedded content]
“I told them, ‘Hopefully he does great and, cheers,’ and we drank some rakia and kept enjoying the night.”
But the story didn’t end there.
A few years later – two or three, according to Gasol, though it must have been more given Jokic didn’t reach the NBA until 2015, six years after the Milicic wedding – came a second chapter.
“We were playing in Denver. I was warming up and I see two guys coming down the stairs, and they just scream, ‘Marc! Marc!’ I look up and think, ‘Hey shit, what are they doing here?’ And they say, ‘That’s my brother.’”
That’s when Marc realized they were talking about Nikola Jokic.
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
