The first official day of the Fall season, when the temperatures drop and the colors begin to change, serves as another reminder that the 2021-22 NBA season is just around the way. Another powerful reminder? Players return to their respective team towns to kick begin the season unofficially with media days.

With clubs starting training camps next week and the Denver Nuggets’ first preseason game less than two weeks away on Oct. 4, the preparations for another fresh start and a shot at a championship continue.

This year’s Mile High Basketball team will look very similar to the 2020-21 club, led by 2021 NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, with new acquisitions Jeff Green and rookie Bones Hyland emphasizing the team’s offseason activity.

However, the Serbian big man, who talked to the media earlier today ahead of the team’s training camp, is at the center of it all. No topic was left unexplored as the three-time All-Star described his preparation for the upcoming season, from his passion of feeding horses to his offseason exercises.

The summer’s high point? The soon-to-arrive child who will be joining the Joki household.

(What about the second highlight? In case you were wondering, Joki’s horse won 15-20 events this summer).

The offseason was full of excitement and success, but it also included the hard effort that one would expect from the reigning MVP, who is hoping to maintain and even improve on his performance from last year.

“I found a recipe and I’m just sticking to it,” Joki said of his offseason effort. “So, nothing has changed from last year.” “Hopefully, this season will be as good as last year.”

The effects can already be seen in images and videos of Joki’s different workouts in and around Denver over the last few weeks, and the Serbian’s teammates have commented about the work he has put in ahead of this season.

“It feels like he didn’t stop from last season,” Vlatko anar said of Joki’s preparation and work. “He just tries to get better day by day.”

It’s no surprise to hear about Joki taking control and displaying what earned him league MVP last season during scrimmages. Even anar had to laugh and say, “He’s just on another level.” He has no business toying with us. It was simply unjust.”

Meanwhile, Hyland said that he and Joki had a lot of success in several of those scrimmages.

“We were playing together for five games,” Hyland revealed on Tuesday. “We did not fail. It appeared to be 2K. You could see the link right away. It clicked right away. They moved me to a new team because it was simply too simple.”

All of this derives from Joki’s unassuming approach to the game and life as an NBA great. The 26-year-old big man has no desire to live the superstar lifestyle, preferring to spend his offseason in Serbia preparing for another long season.

When expressing some of his initial views of the reigning MVP, Hyland effectively encapsulates Joki’s attitude to the game.

“You’d never know he was MVP,” Hyland added. “Just by the way he carries himself, it’s as if he’s striving for another MVP or the next contract.” He’s definitely one of a kind.”

When addressing his approach to offseason workouts, Joki stated, “If the recipe works, stick to it.”