For Nikola Jokic that Christmas night was a special one, capped off with a big win over Phoenix thanks to his very own triple-double: 41 points, 15 rebounds and 15 assists. An exhibition performance that saw him elected MVP of the game and also of Christmas Day 2022. Never had anyone scored so many points, scoring a triple-double on Christmas Day.
After the game, Jokic stopped as usual on the sidelines for the post-game interview. After a brief comment on his performance, Jokic made to take his leave, at which point the reporter wished him “Merry Christmas.”. However, the Nuggets center was quick to correct him: “It’s not my Christmas, however Merry Christmas!”. At that point the reporter also corrected himself, wishing instead a more generic “happy holidays.”.
Being Serbian, Jokic is not Catholic but Orthodox, which is why he celebrates “his” Christmas on January 7 and not December 25, referring to the Julian calendar. In short, for him yesterday was a day like any other, although much of the Western world was celebrating. For Jokic that moment will come only in a couple of weeks.
Milan, Italy. A graduate in Labor Management and Communication for Organizations from Catholic University, I founded BasketUniverso in 2011. Yes, I root for Orlando Magic and do my best not to hide it.
