”Do I appear as someone with a premeditated strategy?” queried the enigmatic Nikola Jokić, often likened to the Joker in the realm of basketball. Yet, beneath the facade lies a meticulous plan: to ascend as the Greatest Of All Time (G.O.A.T.) in this sport.
In India, we’re well acquainted with sporting GOATs. From Virat Kohli to Sachin Tendulkar, we’ve witnessed the ascent of numerous extraordinary athletes firsthand. Thus, it’s only natural that our readers are intrigued by individuals aspiring to basketball greatness.
On May 9th, Jokić was crowned the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the NBA 2023-24 season. This accolade not only marks him as the first non-American to achieve this honor three times but also places him among the elite nine who have won the MVP award thrice or more.
These three MVP titles are set to further enhance Jokić’s already illustrious career. Among his notable achievements are six NBA All-Star appearances, five All-NBA Team selections (including three first-team nods), and a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics with the Serbian national team.
Jokić’s victory in the MVP race for the 2023-24 season was resounding. He secured 79 out of 99 first-place votes, leaving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in second place with 15 votes, and Luka Doncic in third with just four votes.
This MVP win holds particular significance for Jokić, especially after finishing as runner-up to Joel Embiid in the previous season. Embiid’s bid to defend his crown was thwarted by a failure to meet the NBA’s 65-game threshold due to knee surgery.
As the world applauds this contemporary legend, we pay tribute to Nikola Jokić by delving into his net worth, NBA contract salary, residence, car collection, and more.
Nikola Jokić: Everything we know about his wealth
Given his status as one of the premier basketball talents of his era, it’s unsurprising that Nikola Jokić has accumulated substantial wealth from his career in the sport. However, the precise extent of his fortune begs the question.
As per a report from Celebrity Net Worth, in 2024, Nikola Jokić boasts a net worth of USD 50 million (approximately INR 417 crores).
Nevertheless, despite this considerable wealth, Jokić doesn’t rank among the wealthiest NBA players globally. For perspective, LeBron James and Kevin Durant hold valuations of USD 600 million and USD 300 million, respectively.
A look at Nikola Jokić’s salary
In 2022, Nikola Jokić signed a record contract with the Denver Nuggets worth a massive USD 276 million. This historic deal, which runs from 2023 to 2028, sees the Serbian take home an average annual salary of around USD 54.4 million.
However, the Designated Veteran Player Extension contract that Jokić signed works a little differently. In the first year of the deal, 2023-24, he received a salary of USD 47.6 million (USD 915,385 per week). The amount will gradually increase with every season. By the final year (2027-28), Nikola Jokić is expected to receive an annual salary in excess of USD 60 million, or approximately USD 1.2 million per week.