NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was photographed in his hometown, Serbia, enjoying a leisurely ride in a horse-drawn buggy, savoring his newfound status as king.

Nikola Jokic’s horse image is from Getty Images.

Nikola Jokic is back in Serbia. Three days after the Nuggets were eliminated from the playoffs, the 26-year-old NBA MVP was seen in his hometown of Sombor.

Jokic, a known horse enthusiast, was spotted riding joyously in a horse-drawn buggy at his local hippodrome on Wednesday. He’s wearing prescription glasses, a backward hat, and a short t-shirt, and he’s not worried about anything.

The approximate trip time from Denver, Colorado to Sombor, Serbia is 13 hours, so he wasted no time returning to where he grew up.

Taking some time off.

Jokic appeared in all 109 Nuggets games since August 1 and ended the 2020/21 season with 2,488 total minutes. Add in a hard playoff series with plenty of altercation, and he’s undoubtedly fatigued.

In fact, he was spotted running around the track just hours after issuing a statement about his rest. Jokic and the Nuggets confirmed in a statement that he will not be joining the Serbian national team for the Olympic qualification round, citing rehabilitation.

“The simple condition of my body requires a longer absence from the field for recovery,” he wrote in an email. Head coach Igor Kokskov stated that he intends to meet with his star international player directly.

It is unknown whether the 6-foot-11 big will compete in the Tokyo Olympics if Serbia qualifies. Based on his recent activities, it does not appear that he will be playing basketball anytime soon.

Jokic, who prefers to keep out of the spotlight, declined to speak with local journalists, but he was fine with them photographing him going about his day. The resulting footage is fantastic.

As a major admirer of Serbian folk music when working out, he opted to listen to the sounds of nature while riding. Nikola Jokic is a delight, and we must appreciate him in the present.