NBA Finals MVP Shows Great Sportsmanship After Team’s 1st Title Win.

Nikola Jokić Leads Denver Nuggets to First NBA Title with Humility and Sportsmanship

On Monday night, two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokić led the Denver Nuggets to their first franchise title, offering a master class in humility and sportsmanship along the way.

At 28 years old, the towering Serbian center was crowned Finals MVP after defeating the Miami Heat in five games in a best-of-seven series. Game five was a nail-biter, with victory only sealed in the final minute with a 94-89 win.

Jokić’s incredible talent was on full display throughout the playoffs, with him becoming the first player in NBA history to lead the playoffs in points, rebounds, and assists. While basketball is a team sport, it could be argued that Jokić singlehandedly pulled the Nuggets out of hoops irrelevancy and brought a bit of geographic parity to the team’s conference.

A Display of Sportsmanship

After arguably the biggest night of his professional life, Jokić remained his stoic self and offered thanks to a dejected Miami team, led by Jimmy Butler, for showing up and showing out. He even paused to personally exchange pleasantries with Butler, Kevin Love, Kyle Lowry, and as many Heat players as he could before celebrating his historic night and season.

ESPN noted that Jokić’s actions were a display of “sportsmanship at its finest.”

Jokic went up to every Heat player before celebrating winning the #NBAFinals

Sportsmanship at its finest pic.twitter.com/L4xLqQT6HR

— ESPN (@espn) June 13, 2023

A New Face for the NBA?

Jokić’s humility and class in victory make him a breath of fresh air in a league that has been hijacked by egocentricity, fealty to China, and the politics of the far-left. With LeBron James’ skills and brand in decline, the game of basketball could use a new spokesman – even if that person doesn’t always have a lot to say.

“That’s why basketball is a fun sport.”

“The job is done. We can go home now.”

Nikola Jokic’s indifference toward his own greatness is endlessly endearing.

— Nick Wagoner (@nwagoner) June 13, 2023

Whether or not Jokić takes the mantle as the new face of a new NBA, the 2023 NBA playoffs will be remembered for how an absolutely dominant athlete won with modesty and class for a league in need of an image reboot.

Jokić’s Incredible Journey

Jokić’s journey to NBA champion has been incredible. Born in 1995 and growing up in Serbia during a time of war in the Balkans, Jokić’s humility is arguably a mix of nurture, nature, and a rare perspective of the harsh realities of life.

In any event, Jokić has lost some heartbreaking games in his time with Denver and now has nearly every coveted accolade in what will be a Hall of Fame career. Unlike LeBron James, who is viewed generally as the face of the NBA, Jokić wins and loses with class.

Denver fans everywhere can thank Jokić for making their city the latest to celebrate a title. The Nuggets have been an also-ran since the team was founded in 1974, and until Monday, the only teams in the Western Conference to win NBA titles since 1979 have been based in either California or Texas.

Jokić’s incredible talent, humility, and sportsmanship have made him a true champion and a role model for basketball players everywhere.

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