Jokic makes jaw-dropping dunk contest audition that fans can't believe isn't AI

There have been many crazy pictures, videos, stats, and other things to come out of the EuroBasket exhibition games so far, but nothing has been wilder than the pregame dunk by Nikola Jokic that was captured on video. 

Ahead of a recent tune-up for team Serbia, the team was warming up, going through layup lines, when Jokic stunned the crowd by pulling off an up-and-under, 180-degree, double-clutch, reverse dunk.

The video, posted from the crowd, went viral almost immediately and had all of social media abuzz. Everyone knows and acknowledges Jokic’s brilliance on the basketball court, but he has never exactly been known for his athleticism or highlight reel dunks.

This was a completely different side of Jokic, a look that fans don’t often see, and an impressive feat for the big man who dominates the NBA below the rim. 

In the video, Jokic is seen dribbling from the right wing. He pulls up and jumps off of his left foot, spinning in mid-air and pumping the ball with both hands in a sort of abbreviated windmill motion. He finishes the reverse dunk with two hands on the opposite side of the rim. 

Does this mean we’ll see Jokic in the dunk contest?

Despite this showing and the hype it has received on social media, I’m not expecting to see Jokic in the dunk contest any time soon. It was impressive, but sadly, I don’t think he’s capable of competing with the league’s best.

And that’s perfectly fine. Jokic is never going to be a guy dunking the ball left and right or swatting shots into the third row. But he has achieved his status as the best player in the world without any of that.

This highlight is just a fun reminder of how athletic NBA players are and how much skill Jokic has. It’s also a nice message that he’s in great shape physically and looks more than ready for the upcoming NBA preseason.

So while we may not get more dunk highlights, let’s enjoy this fun offseason moment. Let’s also enjoy this EuroBasket tournament and this chance to watch Jokic play high-level basketball against the best players in Europe while tuning up for the season and getting ready to try and lead the Nuggets to another championship.