When Nikola Jokic took last summer off from the Serbian national team and skipped the FIBA World Cup — as stars from a lot of countries, including the United States, did — the expectation was that most would suit up for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Serbian coach Bozidar Maljkovic even said Jokic and other Serbian stars would be in Paris next summer.
Jokic shot that down, saying he was still undecided during an interview with Aleksandar Zigic of RTS (hat tip Basket News, who did the translation).
“It’s far. Some people put words in my mouth that I said something that I didn’t. The head coach is the first to know [my commitment]. I always talk to the family and the team after the season.”
That’s where many of the game’s top stars stand, including the big American names such as LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant (who have expressed a desire to go to France this summer). They are interested but want to see how they feel after the marathon of the NBA season and what they hope are deep playoff runs. Jokic and the Nuggets went to the NBA Finals last season and are the favorite to come out of the West and be playing in June again, would Jokic want to do that then turn around and participate in an Olympics that start on July 26?
Serbia has already qualified for the Paris Olympics, as has the USA. Other teams already qualified on the men’s side are France (as host), Canada, Germany, Japan, Australia, and South Sudan. Four other teams will come out of qualifying tournaments next summer. The USA will play Germany — the team that knocked them out of the World Cup and went on to win it — in an exhibition in London before the games.
All Olympic basketball games — men’s and women’s — will be available to stream next summer on Peacock.
