COLUMN, KOVAČEVIĆ: Nikola Jokić, children’s tears, and the difference between a great basketball player and a great man (VIDEO)

Nikola Jokić will remember last night’s visit to Chicago for recording yet another triple-double, the 182nd of his career, and moving up to second place on the all-time NBA list.

Around fifty girls and boys, young women and young men from the folklore group “Tromeđa” from the Church of St. George, who came all the way from Indiana to welcome Nikola on the court of the United Center and greet him with Serbian folk dances and games, will remember it for disappointment, because their idol, whom they eagerly waited for after the performance, did not find the time even to take a photo with them.

Not to greet them, not to say a single word. Nothing. He walked past them, as our people say – as if past a Turkish cemetery. With a single wave of the hand, without looking, like when he assists his teammates, which the greatest optimists interpreted as a greeting…

And they were waiting, all dressed up, neatly prepared, in traditional costumes that they had carefully prepared, washed, and repaired days in advance especially for this occasion.

And in the end they returned home sad, deprived of a memory they would have cherished for the rest of their lives – to meet a brilliant basketball player, their countryman, whom they admire and for whom they cheer with all their hearts.

Luckily, they were already old enough, so they did not really cry or shed tears, which did happen last year, in the same place, on the same occasion…

Namely, back then, also after a Denver–Chicago game, more than 300 of our children, little ones, waited for over an hour in the arena corridor to meet the MVP, the best in the world. In vain.

Nikola Jokić did not deem it worthy to dedicate five minutes of his time to them.

In the end, another great basketball player, but also a great man, Nikola Vučević, appeared and comforted them, even though he does not play for the Serbian but for the Montenegrin national team.

He came out of the locker room and kindly posed with the children, tossed them some “bones,” talked with them and their parents…

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That’s how the great ones do it. And Jokić has, unfortunately, it seems, forgotten that greatness is achieved not only on the sports court, but off it as well.

Those children from last year, as well as the folklore performers this year, are hurt even more by the fact that they saw how Jokić in Denver spends time with some other children, takes photos with them, shows them basketball tricks and moves. Someone will say – on assignment.

But does someone really have to order you to take photos with children, leaves from your own forest?

Last night, after the game, it was not only the children, young men and women from the folklore group “Tromeđa” who were disappointed, but also at least a thousand of Jokić’s fans, many of whom bought an expensive NBA ticket for the first time, as well as no less expensive jerseys with his name, just to see him and cheer for him.

A good number of them, when the game ended, armed with Serbian flags and caps, formed a guard of honor at the arena exit, chanted his name, repeated “MVP, MVP!”, but Nikola, passing by, merely waved his hand indifferently and went off to shower, leaving them speechless and peed on, excuse the expression.

You had to be there and hear how the silence echoed after he left the hall.

And it wasn’t always like that…

I remember the first years after my arrival in Chicago… Nikola would, after the game, kindly approach the stands with our fans, patiently pose, even take their phones to make selfies.

What happened in the meantime, only he knows.

And let’s be clear… These mentioned people, the folklore performers and the children, will not now stop cheering for Jokić, rejoicing in every victory and MVP title, getting nervous over defeats and if, God forbid, another championship title slips away. No chance.

They will continue to support him, I am convinced, and to hope that he will learn the lesson – that great victories are brought to great players by small people who cheer for them and send them their energy, expecting nothing in return except a little attention.

At least once a year, when Jokić stops by the city where he surely has the most fans on this continent.

When he understands that, or remembers the man he once was, then we will remember him too and celebrate him.

Not only as the best basketball player in the world, but also as a great man.