Most of Denver was actually rooting for Nikola Jokic and Serbia against the super-powered Team USA on Thursday when the two basketball teams met in the semifinals of the 2024 Olympics.
It makes sense too, a guy the city cheers for 100 nights a year against a bunch of players who are rivals are constantly going against the Denver Nuggets. On top of that, there are the narratives that have always surrounded Jokic, something less accomplished but bigger stars have not had to deal with. Simply put, Jokic is the Mile High City’s guy— through and through and it’s enough for many to root for him over their own country.
One of the best basketball players took to Twitter at 5 a.m. in Paris, hours after the 95-91 American win to troll Denver and Nuggets fans.
First Durnat responded to a Mile High Sports personality who was rightfully saying the small country of Serbia should be proud of their efforts against Team USA. Durant said, “Where u from?”
Then in an explicit post, Durant said, “To all you nuggets fans, nobody gives a f*** who yall lames believe is the best player in the league, players got major respect for Jok, we don’t worship him like yall do but most are in awe of his brilliance. Trolling you cornballs for rooting against us is apart of the game. Deal wit it.”
At least Durant admitted that he was just as in awe of his brilliance as he is Steph Curry, who went off in the game, or LeBron James, who tallied a triple-double in the contest. But what Durant and 100s of social media trolls simply did not understand about Denverites choosing city over country is how little the Nuggets had given the Mile High City for decades and what Jokic has done to shift the culture. And Jokic nearly cooked Team USA in a historic upset, while his teammates trolled the second-most skilled Nuggets player ever in Carmelo Anthony, who was courtside. Melo’s national team career for the Americans is only surpassed by Durant but has a legacy in Denver that ends with not wanting to be here. It’s all part of the recipe that has folks in Colorado turning against their country for their favorite player, or as Durant would call you, a “cornball.”
Durant, who started the whole thing ironically says all these people do is talk while also going at fans for being emotional about wins and losses.
“That’s what yall do, yall clowns,” he posted on Twitter. “Use players to push these corny agendas yall got. This a brotherhood fam, u not apart of. It’s a problem now cuz social media got u clowns walkin around wit your chest out like u mean something. YOU DONT!!! YOUR TAKES DONT MATTER”
For a long time it felt like Jokic wasn’t a part of the brotherhood. His MVP wins and title coronations have been met with very few congratulatory mentions. Even at the All-Star Game, LeBron picking him last or not at all while being the MVP, felt like a slight. According to Durant, Jokic is in the cool kids club, a small win from all of this I guess.
Durant is inarguably one of the greatest players ever, 11 times All-NBA, a former MVP and two-time Finals MVP to go with his four-scoring titles. Wherever Jokic is on your all-time board for his three MVPs, Finals MVP and triple-double stats, Durant is right next to or near the big fella. Durant is much better at social media than the private Jokic, and KD is no doubt one of the best posters, athlete or not, of all time.
Durant may always have him and his superteam barely squeaking past Jokic and his countrymen to wind up with Gold—but Jokic will always have that Game 6 in Phoenix to put the Suns and Druant to bed in 2023 en route to a title.
At the end of the day, I think most in Denver will be happy to see Team USA win Gold if they can on Saturday as well as a Serbia Bronze if they can get past Germany.
