Nikola Jokic looked surprisingly happy to be in Denver at the Nuggets championship parade on Thursday.
The Serbian superstar, 28, who didn’t seem excited to stick around in Denver after defeating the Heat in Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday, was all smiles while on the team’s bus with the Larry O’Brien championship trophy, according to a photo shared by his wife, Natalija.
The couple was seen walking through the streets of downtown Denver, where the parade route was scheduled to begin at Union Station.
Jokic pumped his fist towards the crowd while the couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Ognjena, sat on his shoulders as Natalija led the way.
Natalija stunned in a stylish blue Denver Nuggets blue jacket and jeans while Ognjena looked adorable in a yellow T-shirt and Nike sneakers.
Natalija also posted a celebratory family photo on Instagram following Monday’s game against the Heat, when Denver claimed its first-ever championship with the 94-89 victory.
Captioning the snap with a simple red heart emoji, the photo featured the couple kissing the side of Ognjena’s cheeks while she gazed at the gold championship trophy.
Jokic’s Bill Russell Finals MVP award was also featured in the photo.
The Jokic family’s appearance at the parade was a rare postseason sighting as they usually head back to their native Sombor when the season concludes.
After Monday’s game, Jokic didn’t seem thrilled about the idea of remaining in Denver for the parade — and even contemplated asking team president Josh Kroenke for a plane to fly home.
During a post-game interview with NBA TV, Jokic was asked about the championship celebrations and said, “Yes, I need to go home. On Sundays, I have my horse racing.”
“I don’t know how I’m going to arrive. Thursday, late. Friday, maybe,” he said. “I’m going to ask Josh [Kroenke] to give me a plane.”
The Nuggets parade, which started at 12 p.m. EST, is scheduled to end with a rally in Civic Center Park.
It’s unclear if the team has any post-parade plans, and whether or not Jokic actually borrowed the plane.
His hometown is nearly 6,000 miles from Denver and the average flight time is about 12 hours.
Jokic’s love for horses and living a private life is well-known around the NBA.
According to The Denver Post, Jokic is protective over his private time at home.
In fact, when Jokic won his second consecutive MVP award in May 2022, Nuggets coach Michael Malone, then-team president Tim Connelly, and some team personnel surprised the 7-footer in Sombor to hand-deliver the trophy.
