The Serbian national team wrapped up its first set of games in the second round of FIBA World Cup Qualifiers with consecutive wins against Iceland and Italy. With Nikola Jokic‘s phenomenal performance paving the way, Serbia has improved to 6-2 and is currently in second place behind Turkey in Group J.
Nikola Jokic’s impact is one of the primary reasons why Serbia is viewed as a favorite in international competitions. However, the Nuggets‘ superstar’s true commitment to representing his nation was only highlighted recently.
While speaking to the media after the 76-64 win over Italy, Serbian national team head coach Dusan Alimpijevic revealed Nikola Jokic’s condition and how the superstar big man battled through illness to help his country secure victory in the qualifiers.
“One of the most important things- of course, everyone played to the maximum, and they gave their maximum, but this gentleman [Jokic], who up until a few seconds ago was just next to me, as a captain of this team, he’s been very, very sick for the last few days,” Alimpijevic shared.
“This is the guy who got a lot of IVs over the last few days, including today,” he continued. “He refuses; he rejects to give up and leave his team alone. He came to play. He never complains to us. He never says anything to us. He did what he did, and that’s why we are so proud that we have a captain like him.”
Despite having an illness that required IVs, Nikola Jokic powered through it to help Serbia win the first two games of the second round of the group stages. Although he played only 23 minutes against Italy, the big man’s eight points, eight rebounds, and one assist helped Serbia secure victory.
For all intents and purposes, Nikola Jokic is Serbia’s best player. While other players are also relevant, such as Nikola Jovic, currently the Serbian national team’s leading scorer with an average of 20.0 points per game, Jokic has been far more impactful.
In the qualifying rounds, Jokic is averaging 14.0 points, 11.3 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game while shooting 47.1% from the field. As the driving force behind Serbia’s offense, the big man’s presence and availability are crucial to their World Cup campaign.
On that note, the superstar’s willingness to play through illness is not only commendable, but also heroic. After witnessing Victor Wembanyamastep up as captain of the French national team, Nikola Jokic also appears to be setting an example as a leader after facing criticism during the friendly games against France.
For the most part, Jokic’s presence in the first set of games for the second round could prove quite helpful. Since Turkey’s place in the tournament has already been guaranteed, these latest wins bring Serbia one step closer to qualifying for the World Cup.
Still, the road ahead will not be easy for the Serbian national team. With two more games scheduled against Lithuania (Nov. 26) and Italy (Nov. 29) in late November, Serbia may be forced to play without Nikola Jokic, who will be headlining the Denver Nuggets at the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.
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