Horse racing is often a sport that intertwines the rich and famous with equine life.
Throughout history, however, there have been a number of occasions in which a celebrity’s passion for the animal has gone above and beyond.
That is maybe none more evident than Nikola Jokic’s passion with the equine stars of the world. Does The Joker bet on horse racing online? No, the Nuggets superstar is not a gambler, but he is a horse enthusiast and enjoys taking care of horses in his stable.
Before basketball, Nikola Jokic was all about horse racing. In 2016, the @nuggets star and reigning MVP wrote about basketball in Serbia: “It was all about horses for me.
I always loved basketball, but when I was little — even when I was 13 and 14 — I was going to horse race. I… pic.twitter.com/8IFZVqqIpX
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) April 19, 2023
Jokic Collects MVP Award Alongside His Horse
One of the biggest examples of his passion for all things horses was that Jokic collected his second NBA MVP award after arriving by horse and cart. The accolade came as a surprise for the Serbian, who joked during his interview with The Athletic that he had to delay his horse’s workout to the afternoon due to the surprise.
Surprise in Sombor✈️🇷🇸 We flew to Serbia to surprise the BACK-TO-BACK MVP! And, wow, this moment was special. pic.twitter.com/aFvIEDgnSj
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 11, 2022
Jokic’s award was fully deserved after another excellent campaign with the Denver Nuggets, which saw him end the season with 19 triple-doubles, while he averaged 27.1 points per game.
After winning the second award, Jokic joined an illustrious group of NBA stars that have won back-to-back MVP accolades, that include Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
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Jokic’s Love Of Horses
His horse played a significant role in his acceptance of the NBA award, and it just highlights how important the equines are for the Serbian. The 28-year-old admitted there isn’t a ‘better feeling’ than hearing their noise when they are eating, before admitting they are ‘magnificent’ animals.
His love for the animal is showcased during his down time when he isn’t in the United States, as he travels back to Serbia to his stables that are located in Sombor. During his visits, he often travels to places on his horse, while he is a frequent visitor to horse-drawn chariot racing in his home land.
Many of his close friends and teammates often admit that horses give him a release from his professional career on the court, and often is his preferred way to find peace.
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Dream Friendship
With his reputation as one of the best NBA players, Jokic has been able to open a number of doors into the horse-racing industry. That led him to an unlikely friendship with harness racer Tim Tetrick. The Denver Post followed the Nuggets star on a day with the rider, with Jokic keen to get started with his fiend after arriving at 6:30am.
The two have an incredible friendship based around their love for horses, and passion for racing. Tetrick was at the top of his sport throughout his career, winning over 13,000 races across a number of tracks around North America.
Tetrick amassed an incredible $250 million in prize money throughout his career, and that is something that Jokic joked was his dream. The NBA star admitted that the rider had the dream job from his perspective, as he always dreamed of training horses and riding on a daily basis. It could be an avenue that the Nuggets star chooses to go down once he calls time on his NBA career in the future.
Racing continues to play a huge role in his success on court, as social media clips last year showed the Nuggets ace lacing up his trainers in the locker game before a game against the New York Knicks while watching live harness racing on his phone. His performance on the court showed how important the sport is, as he registered 32 points and eleven rebounds in a 113-99 win.
