The Denver Nuggets faced a difficult journey to their first NBA championship. They were the top team in the Western Conference throughout the regular season and then outperformed expectations in the playoffs, thanks in large part to Nikola Jokic’s outstanding performance.

That’s why tennis champion Novak Djokovic took the time in a recent interview to compliment his countrymen. He agreed that, despite his lack of basketball knowledge, the fact that a Serbian player is currently regarded as the top player in the world is significant. Djokovic stated, “Nikola Jokic is the finest basketball player in the world right now. Amazing man. Everyone is astounded by his basketball talents. I’m not a basketball specialist, so I can’t say much about his game, but I’m a big fan. Having a Serbian basketball player dominate the NBA is a rare occurrence. I believe Serbia has never had the best basketball player in the NBA. That is wonderful. “We all love and support him.”

Jokic won that honor after his performance in the playoffs. Even his most vocal adversaries were forced to tip their caps to him because his dominance was so clear.

Jokic was almost the first center to average a triple-double, and he’s now the league’s largest and most unique offensive triple-threat. NBA scouts are looking everywhere for the next Jokic, who is defining what modern big men should look like.

In the meanwhile, the Serbians can be fairly happy of having the most distinctive player in the league, and while some may still contest his status as the undisputed No. 1 person, there’s simply no way around it right now.