Novak Djokovic attended Saturday’s game between the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers, where he saw his compatriot Nikola Jokic lead the Nuggets to a 124-114 victory, extending their NBA winning streak to six games.
Djokovic and Jokic then exchanged passionate embraces, with former NBA player and Serbian basketball star Vlade Divac joining them. The hug between Djokovic and Jokic went viral on social media, with many notable basketball and tennis accounts sharing it on Twitter and Instagram.
The pair spoke in Serbian during the video, and it is now known what they said that caused the ATP No. 1 to chuckle before embracing Jokic in a bear hug.
According to fan translations, Nikola Jokic was originally hesitant to hug Djokovic because of his “sweaty” appearance after the game. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, however, was not bothered at all, telling him off humorously by saying:
“Come on, who cares”Expand TweetExpand Tweet
“Novak Djokovic is the guy you can look up to, I want to be like him” – Nikola Jokic, Serbian tennis player
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Nikola Jokic has long admired Novak Djokovic, saying in a prior interview that he aspired to be like him.
Jokic was particularly impressed by the World No. 1 because of what he represented to Serbian youth and all the excellent work he was doing in the country through his foundation. The Nuggets star also stated that putting him and Djokovic in the same category is no longer appropriate since the 24-time Grand Slam champion is far bigger in the global sporting landscape.
“I don’t have his phone number, to be honest, but he is the one that represents Serbia in a much larger context. He is the Serbian ambassador. He is a true inspiration to the children of Serbia, not only on the court, but also via the work of his foundation. He is a someone you can look up to, and I want to be like him. He is doing tremendous things for children, Serbia, and everything else. “We cannot be compared,” Nikola Jokic stated.
Meanwhile, Djokovic will begin his Indian Wells campaign next week, marking his first competition since losing in the semifinals of the Australian Open to eventual victor Jannik Sinner.