Jokic Spends Birthday at All-Star Weekend

Nikola Jokic (aka the Joker), the star center for the Denver Nuggets, made history on his 27th birthday by becoming the first NBA player to spend their birthday playing in the NBA All-Star Game instead of spending his weekend racing his horse in Serbia. Yes, that's a sentence I didn't expect to read either. Nevertheless, Jokic was drafted by Team LeBron, which was coached by none other than Jokic's NBA coach, Michael Malone.

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This year, the format for the game changed a little. Both team captains selected players they wanted on their team right before tip-off, rather than during a previously scheduled draft, and went straight to playing the game. In was a laid back, relaxed atmosphere, Jokic had fun with one of his NBA friends. During the draft, Jokic came up behind LeBron James (one of the team captains), exchanged some laughs, and then joined the team. It was that simple.

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During the game, Jokic only dropped four points and pulled down five rebounds in just over 11 minutes of play. It might not have been much, but the point of an all-star game is to have fun and everyone did. Just ask Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum who played 1-on-1 for nearly 2 minutes while fans and players watched. Jokic also wowed fans with a crazy pass to LeBron that looked like it came straight out of an NFL team's playbook. Maybe Sean Payton and Russell Wilson can take a page of Joker's playbook next season.

Jokic's performance in the All-Star Game is just the latest evidence of his growing stature as one of the best players in the NBA. After a slow start to the season, Jokic has been on a tear, averaging 26.4 points, 10.9 rebounds, and 8.6 assists per game. He has been the driving force behind the Nuggets' recent surge up the Western Conference standings, and his play has many pundits talking about his candidacy for the NBA's Most Valuable Player award for the third year in a row. Only Bill Russell (1961, 1962, 1963), Wilt "The Stilt" Chamberlain (1966, 1967, 1968) and Larry Bird (1984, 1985, 1986) have been able to accomplish this feat in NBA history.

Jokic's success is not surprising to those who have been following his career. Despite being a second-round pick in the 2014 NBA draft, Jokic has steadily improved his game every year, to the point where he is now one of the most dominant centers in the league. His combination of size, skill, and court vision makes him a nightmare matchup for any opponent, and his unselfish play and team-first attitude have endeared him to fans and teammates alike.

Fans are always showing their appreciation and support for Jokic and the Nuggets. Denver based artist, Thomas Evans, painted an incredible colorful mural in downtown Denver in light of All-Star Weekend. According to the BarstoolColorado Instagram page, you can find this mural on 2420 Curtis Street. I had a chance to visit there with our Co-Founder not too long ago. It has become quite a popular spot for fans!

As Jokic looks to build on his already impressive resume, there is no doubt that he will be a force to be reckoned with in the NBA for years to come. His unique skill set and unselfish approach to the game make him a player that any team would be lucky to have, and his growing list of accomplishments is a testament to his hard work and dedication.