Serbian-Americans jumping for Jokic
NUGGETS 135, BULLS 102 Denver player draws cheers – and a big crowd – at Chicago arena
CHICAGO» Marija Mahorcic wanted to make something special for Nikola Jokic’s recent 23rd birthday.
So the 12-year-old spent two weeks meticulously drawing and coloring two posters — one featuring Jokic’s name and hometown of Sombor, Serbia, and another that reads, “He is not ‘The Joker.’ He is the King of the NBA.”
“He’s just amazing at basketball,” said Marija, who also keeps track of Jokic’s statistics. “When I see him make a shot, I just get really happy.”
When Marija and her father, Nash, arrived Wednesday at the United Center, security kept them from bringing the posters inside. But the staffers assured the two that they would take the posters down to the Nuggets’ locker room to deliver to Jokic.
The Mahorcics were two of the estimated 500-plus Serbian-American fans to take over the Bulls’ home arena. And Jokic put on a show for his vocal, flag-waving supporters, compiling 21 points on 9-of-11 field goals, seven rebounds and five assists as Denver rolled to a 135-102 victory to keep pace in a tight Western Conference playoff race.
“It’s a big deal,” a beaming Jokic said after the game. “It’s really, really cool.”
Chicago has earned the nickname “Little Serbia,” because of the 50,000 residents of that heritage in the city, according to the 2011 census.
Joining Marija and Nash Mahorcic in the crowd was Milan Savic, 26, who has been following Jokic’s career since he emerged as a “beast” for the Serbian national team. Savic has even attended every Nuggets game in Chicago since Jokic came to the NBA.
Also in attendance was 17-yearold Milos Popratnjak, who first watched Jokic play in Serbia against Puerto Rico last summer.
On Wednesday night, 56-yearold Zarko Ivetic and his 28-yearold nephew George Vejovic finally got to see Jokic play live after following Nuggets games on Twitter since he was drafted.
Those fans — and many others — swarmed the Nuggets’ tunnel before the game, just to get a glimpse of Jokic as he entered the court. Cellphones snapped photos during warm-ups. Nash Ma-
horcic hollered in Serbian, “We have your name on our back,” which Jokic acknowledged with a smile and a wave.
Then, those fans consistently drowned out anybody rooting for the home team.
When Jokic pump-faked, drove and finished, they started chanting, “Ser-bi-a!” When he was fouled on a made baseline jumper to put Denver up 39-25, they yelled “Ni-kol-a Jokic!” and clapped five times in rhythm. With two minutes left before halftime, they went “Oooohhh” as one of Jokic’s high-arching 3s sailed toward the basket and through the net.
The soccer-like chants even extended to Jokic’s injured teammate Gary Harris, who cracked a smile from the bench, and to Jamal Murray as he shot a free throw late in the second quarter.
“It was a home game for him,” Nuggets forward Paul Millsap said. “I can see why he was feeling it out there. His fans are our fans. The more, the better. We gotta pack them up and bring them on our next trip.”
Added Jokic: “Just imagine the whole arena is doing that. … It’s kind of the whole Serbian population. People love basketball. We are kind of the country of basketball. That’s what we do.”
After Denver finished off the dominant win — which moved it within 1½ games of Utah for the coveted eighth spot in the Western Conference standings — fans again raced back to the Nuggets’ tunnel and draped jerseys, hats and photos over the edge of the stands. Jokic grabbed cellphones to snap selfies. Even as Denver staffers attempted to usher Jokic to the locker room, he continued to sign and smile.
Jokic’s down-to-earth personality and free-wheeling game are what has enchanted Serbians, Savic said.
“He may be one of our greatest basketball players,” Savic said. “And if we give him time, he may be the best.”
But before Jokic even reached that crowd, he found Marija standing right behind the Nuggets’ bench. He signed her jersey. He posed for a photo.
And yes, he received her posters.