NBA Insider Claims Jokic Was Not in 'Top Shape' in EuroBasket

For Serbia, it seemed like everything was set up for them to at least reach the finals, but then, Bogdanovic pulled up, grabbing the back of his leg. He was quickly ruled out for the rest of the tournament and put his status for training camp with the Clippers in jeopardy, too.

That left the Serbian team with Nikola Jokic at the helm, and players like Vasilije Micic, Miami Heat forward Nikola Jovic, and Aleksa Avramovic to help Jokic get through the rest of the tournament.

Jokic's Performance Is Questioned

Usually, the 22.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game that Jokic averaged in EuroBasket would never draw attention, but with the spotlight on the tournament and the Serbian team without Bogdanovic, some questioned the shape that Jokic was in.

NBA Insider Brian Windhorst appeared on his show, "The Hoop Collective," and had some questionable words for Jokic.

“I was talking to a guy that I know who’s a Serbian NBA executive...And I was like, I don’t trust, you know, Serbia is known to pull some punches, you know, play a little, play a little game where they don’t show their full situation...until it really matters. And he was like, no, he’s like, 'Jokic is not quite on his game. He’s not quite in top shape.' You know, he warned me," Windhorst revealed.

The Reaction

After the loss to a hungry Finnish team, it was evident that the Serbian's hearts were not in it as they were in the 2024 Summer Olympics.

A virus spread throughout the team, and several players played through injuries, but with the experience and talent of the team, Jokic and company made the outcome inexcusable.

Finland dominated the offensive glass, grabbing an incredible 20 offensive rebounds, which gave them a significant advantage on second-chance opportunities.

The offensive burden was solely on Jokic, but does this raise any doubts about the Nuggets and what they can expect in the 2025-26 season? Absolutely not.

Jokic is still a premier talent and finished as the runner-up for Most Valuable Player just five months ago. If there is any doubt about Jokic's ability to stay conditioned over the course of the regular season, it should be immediately shot down.

Transitioning from the 2024 Olympics to a playoff run and then another international tournament puts a lot of miles on a body that already had to play a ton of minutes for the Nuggets in the playoffs.

At least now, Denver has the depth to give Jokic more of a break throughout the season.