Heat Forward Says Nikola Jokic Tried Recruiting Him to Nuggets

It seems like Nikola Jokic tried to do some recruiting for the Denver Nuggets behind the scenes in an effort to bring in one particular name from the Miami Heat: fellow Serbian Nikola Jovic.

During a recent interview with The Miami Herald's Anthony Chiang, Jovic, when talking about his relationship with Jokic, joked that the Nuggets big man wanted the fourth-year forward onboard in the Mile High.

“We talk about a lot of stuff. He was mad because I signed the extension. He wanted me in Denver,” Jovic said of Jokic. “But, yeah, we talk. Nothing crazy, not much. But we make sure that we stay in touch and we stick by each other because there’s not a lot of us Serbian players around the NBA.”

"I can say he’s my pretty good friend,” Jovic said before facing Jokic and the Nuggets. “I’m happy I got to meet him, I’m happy I had the chance to play with him [in EuroBasket].”

Jokic and Jovic, two of the premier faces to come from Serbia in the league, have come to grow a bond in recent years during their time together on the Serbian national team, both during this summer at the EuroBasket tournament, as well as in the 2024 Paris Olympics.

And it seems like for Jokic, after that sample size overseas, he's seen enough to want him in a Nuggets jersey.

Nikola Jokic Tried to Recruit Nikola Jovic to Denver

Feb 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball under pressure from Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (22) and forward Nikola Jovic (5) in the second quarter at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images | Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

Jovic, the 27th-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, has been with the Heat for all four years of his time in the league, playing 115 career games and starting in 57. This season through eight games, he's averaged 8.3 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists, shooting 37.7% from the field.

And now for this season, on the last year of his rookie contract, there was an opportunity for the Miami forward to test the restricted free agent waters with other interested suitors.

However, to the dismay of Jokic, before the season officially tipped off, the Heat and their young forward would be among the flurry of young players and teams to agree to a rookie-scale extension before the deadline, paying him $62.4 million across the next four years, and thus keeping him in Miami for the foreseeable future.

Maybe their paths can cross in the years to come, as anything can happen in the NBA, but until then, the two will have to keep that teammate status strictly tied to the national team.

Nikola Jokic Tried to Recruit Nikola Jovic to Denver

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