What is Nikola Jokic's ethnicity? Exploring the heritage of Denver Nuggets superstar

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 25, 2025, 18:04 IST

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Nikola Jokic, the Denver Nuggets star, is a Serbian native from Sombor, where he spent his early years, including during the war in Serbia. Despite his successful NBA career, Jokic fondly remembers his hometown's nature and warm community. He expresses a strong desire to return to Serbia after his basketball career concludes, valuing its peaceful environment and familiarity.

What is Nikola Jokic's ethnicity? Exploring the heritage of Denver Nuggets superstar

Nikola Jokic. Image via: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

Denver Nuggets star, Nikola Jokic has made a big impact in NBA with a successful career spanning over a decade. While he moved to Denver in 2015, he hails from the small city of Sombor in Serbia. When it comes to his ethnicity, he is a Serbian who was born in war-torn Serbia. We are delving deep into the ethnicity of Nikola Jokic while tracing his younger days.

What is the ethnicity of NBA star Nikola Jokic?

Nikola Jokic lived in a two-bedroom apartment with his father, mother, two brothers and his grandmother. Back in 1999, he was four when the war in Serbia was going on. Speaking about his childhood to Bleachers Report, he shared, "I remember things like sirens, bomb shelters, always turning off the lights. We practically lived in the dark. Even at like 9 a.m., everything was turned off." However after the war ended, he only had good memories of the town. He remembers Sombor fondly for its nature and warm people.
Speaking to SLAM Magazine, he also shared, "It's a really small town in the northwest of Serbia. We have nice nature. But I just like the people there. It's like family." While the move to Denver to play with the Denver Nuggets was a huge change, he added, "I actually like Denver as a city — it reminds me a little of my hometown in Serbia because I like nature, mountains, rivers and trees."

In an interview with Bleacher Report, Nikola also shared that he wishes to return to Serbia. He shared, "After my career is over, I'm gonna go back there. It's super slow — not too much going on — but you have everything. You have a canal, nature; you can get peace of mind outside the city. I just like to be some place where I know how to drive a car without navigation. How I say, no place like home? Something like that."
Also Read: Who is Natalija Jokic? Wife of Denver Nuggets Star Nikola Jokic?
While there have been other NBA players from the region, such as Dario Saric, Mario Hezonja and others, Nikola is regarded as the best among them. He is a prominent athletic figure in Serbia, with one of his achievements being winning a silver medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics for Serbia.

About the Author

TOI Sports Desk

The TOI Sports Desk excels in a myriad of roles that capture the essence of live sporting events and deliver compelling content to readers worldwide. From running live blogs for India and non-India cricket matches to global spectacles featuring Indian talents, like the Chess World Cup final featuring Praggnanandhaa and the Badminton World Championships semifinal featuring HS Prannoy, our live coverage extends to all mega sporting events. We extensively cover events like the Olympics, Asian Games, Cricket World Cups, FIFA World Cups, and more. The desk is also adept at writing comprehensive match reports and insightful post-match commentary, complemented by stats-based articles that provide an in-depth analysis of player performances and team dynamics. We track news wires for key stories, conduct exclusive player interviews in both text and video formats, and file content from print editions and reporters. We keep track of all viral stories, trending topics and produce our own copies on the subjects. We deliver accurate, engaging, and up-to-the-minute sports content, round the clock.

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