Ever since the Denver Nuggets captured the 2023 NBA title, many of their players have spent the summer recovering from the long, grueling road to the trophy. Star center Nikola Jokic has been no different.
He’s spent most of the offseason back home in Serbia, rather than suiting up for the country’s national team in the FIBA World Cup. Even without The Joker, Serbia fared well in the tournament, beating a Jamal Murray-less Canada team to earn a place in the Final, where the ended up falling to Germany.
Though he wasn’t there for the competition, Jokic was still supporting the team. Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic revealed that the Finals MVP had been texting him, as well as the other players, after each outing.
“Asked about Nikola Jokic, who after winning the NBA championship with the Denver Nuggets couldn’t help the Serbian national team this summer, Bogdanovic said: ‘Nikola Jokic texts us after every game,'” wrote George Efkarpides of EuroHoops.net.
Denver Nuggets wing Michael Porter Jr. had interesting run-in with fan
In other news, Michael Porter Jr. visited Taiwan over the weekend. While he was there, he attended a baseball game for a local team, the New Taipei CTBC DEA, and threw out the first pitch.
Right before he made the ceremonial throw, a fan ran onto the field and approached him.
Michael Porter Jr. is the first player in NBA history to dap up a pitch invader during a ceremonial first pitch 😭 pic.twitter.com/l3oNxXWmEw
— Ethical Hoops🏆 (only takes Ws) (@EthicalHoopz) September 10, 2023
Fortunately, there was no ill will from the man. He just wanted to meet the Nuggets wing. Porter Jr. was receptive, even dapping up the diamond invader and giving him a hug.
The 25-year-old’s visit to the game was part of the 2023 CTBC MPJ Taiwan Tour charity event. He also took some time to share stories from Denver’s run to the Larry O’Brien trophy with some local junior-high-school kids, according to the Tapei Times.
Porter Jr., Jokic, and the rest of the Nuggets will start to gear up for their title defense early next month when training camp tips off.