How Nikola Jokic's Horseracing Passion Impacts His NBA Career

Denver Nuggets superstar center Nikola Jokic's love for horse racing resulted in another viral moment last week, as the three-time MVP was moved to tears after his horse won a race in Subotica, Serbia.

While many folks think Jokic may soon leave his NBA career to focus on the sport he truly loves, one Denver area columnist believes the opposite.

An emotional Nikola Jokic reacts after watching his horse win 🥲

pic.twitter.com/JUqd6z5X7T
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 27, 2025

The Unexpected Verdict

In his Friday, August 1 column, Troy Renck of the Denver Post suggested that the high costs and relatively low revenue associated with harness horse racing in Europe could encourage Jokic to actually extend his playing career by years in order to continue funding his stables.

"Two things can be true," Renck wrote. "Jokic can be a three-time MVP and love horses more than hoops. The latter is a family affair. As early as the age of 12, Jokic wanted to be a trainer, and he recently said he owns around 45 horses.

"Some have taken this as a sign he will leave the NBA early. My conclusion is the exact opposite. There is little money in the harness racing business. It is about passion, not profit. Basketball offers a financial avenue to keep his stable stocked. So, hold your horses, Nuggets’ Nation," Renck assured.

Even though fans tend to joke that Jokic cares more for his horses than when he won the NBA Finals, Renck kept it real. "Jokic loves the Standardbreds. It is his hobby. But he is not leaving his job as the best basketball player in the world anytime soon."

Nikola Jokić winning even in the off-season.

A horse-racing victory!
pic.twitter.com/0aKhXNNMUg
— Katy Winge (@katywinge) July 6, 2025

Jokic's win in Subotica, just an hour from his hometown of Sombor, may have been his most meaningful win of the summer. However, it wasn't his first. Jokic previously made a splash in the harness racing world earlier in July when one of his horses claimed victory in Srbobran, Serbia.

In a 2016 interview with Slam Magazine, Jokic explained that basketball is his first love, but horse racing was something he came to love as grew up. "Basketball was always in my life," Jokic said. "I had two older brothers who played basketball. I fell in love with basketball because of them. We would always play together."

"But then at some point in my life I started to go into horse racing. I just fell in love with horses and their beauty and elegance. It was like a hobby for me. I didn’t get serious with it. And I wasn’t taking basketball serious either. I was in between both," he added.

Jokic’s horse winning a race vs. the Nuggets winning a title

This man is hilarious 😭 pic.twitter.com/6D9qrCCwjL
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 27, 2025

In that interview with Franklyn Calle nearly a decade ago now, Jokic even shared that he once rode a horse in a harness race himself.

"I was like 14 or 15 years old. I just enjoyed [being] with them, just to clean them up, just to ride with them. I just enjoyed that. Our stable, we were like a club. We raced some professionals. But I wasn’t professional. I was just amateur. I just had one amateur race, and I took fourth place...."

At the end of the day, it's clear Jokic's skills are best seen on the basketball court, and not being the one racing horses.

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The Unexpected Verdict

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