Nikola Jokic is a Serbian professional basketball player. He is also a two-time NBA All-Star currently playing for the Denver Nuggets. Jokic has tested positive for the coronavirus. According to Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Jokic spent time with famous tennis star Novak Djokovic in a recent event at Belgrade. Djokovic also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Nikola Jokic Tested Positive for the Coronavirus
Adrian Wojnarowski and Brian Windhorst both reported on Tuesday that Jokic tested positive for the coronavirus. However, it is still expected that Jokic will play for the Nuggets.
Reporting with @WindhorstESPN: Nuggets star Nikola Jokic tested positive for the coronavirus in Serbia and his return to the U.S. is temporarily delayed. He’s been asymptomatic since testing positive last week. Jokic is expected to be cleared to travel to Denver within a week.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
According to CNN, Djokovic, the famous Serbian tennis player, and his wife had tested positive after an exhibition event he organized in Croatia. Jokic met Djokovic at a recent event at Belgrade. Both Jokic and Djokovic are very successful and popular athletes in Serbia. It would not be a surprise that both Jokic and Djokovic would meet in Serbia’s capital city in Belgrade.
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets have the sixth-best record in the NBA. Jokic and Jamal Murray, the Nuggets’ two best players played a big role in the Nuggets this year. As a result, the Nuggets are only one and a half games back of the Los Angeles Clippers. They also have NBA playoff experience, narrowly missing the NBA Western Conference Finals last year. They were eliminated by the Portland Trail Blazers in seven games last year in the NBA Western Conference Semifinals.
In the 2019-20 NBA season, Jokic is averaging 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 6.9 assists, and 1.2 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game. Jokic will be relied on by the Nuggets as the NBA season returns next month. He was the only NBA All-Star in 2020 from the Nuggets. For a center, Jokic is a tremendous passer and is a key player for the Nuggets.
Overview of Nikola Jokic Testing Positive for Coronavirus
Unfortunately, any plans for resuming the NBA season will always come with risks. Jokic testing positive for coronavirus is a good example of that. However, playing in one venue is a great way to mitigate the risks of COVID-19. The NBA, though, needs to be flexible if Orlando has too many coronavirus cases. Toronto and Las Vegas were two other cities that were considered as a possible hub for the NBA.
Lastly, everyone at Last Word on Sports wishes Jokic, Djokovic, and Djokovic’s wife a quick recovery from COVID-19. Hopefully, Jokic will be ready and healthy when the NBA season resumes next month. It would be a shame if Jokic cannot play for the Nuggets because he has the coronavirus.
ESPN story on Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic testing positive for coronavirus, awaiting clearance to return to the United States. https://t.co/6fNVzdefzK
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) June 23, 2020
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