The older brother of Denver Nuggets superstar and three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Strahinja Jokic, has pleaded guilty to one count of trespassing and one count of disorderly conduct in connection with a viral fight that occurred during a Nuggets–Lakers playoff game at Ball Arena in April 2024, according to Shelly Bradbury of The Denver Post.
The incident came to legal resolution nearly 500 days later, after a protracted judicial process replete with delays and negotiations. Strahinja Jokic, 43, was sentenced to 12 months of supervised probation on Friday after entering the plea, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office. The trespassing charge is classified as a misdemeanor, while disorderly conduct is a petty offense. The plea deal allowed him to avoid jail time, though the judge warned that any violation of probation could result in incarceration.
The incident took place on April 22, 2024, after Denver’s dramatic 101–99 victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in Game 2 of the Western Conference first-round playoff series, a game decided by Jamal Murray’s buzzer-beater. Shortly after the win, a 15-second video went viral on social media showing an altercation in the stands. The footage appeared to show a verbal dispute between Strahinja and a Lakers fan before Jokic punched the man in the face.
The victim, later identified as Nicholas Meyer, claimed in a lawsuit that he suffered a concussion, facial cuts, bruises, and a deviated septum from the incident. He is also suing Strahinja Jokic for damages, alleging physical and emotional distress. Meyer initially declined to press charges but later changed his mind after seeking medical attention, according to police reports.
Investigators charged Strahinja with third-degree assault in July 2024 after identifying him through the viral video. In interviews with police, Jokic maintained that he was not in the wrong, claiming he acted to defend an elderly man he had known for many years. His attorney reiterated this stance in court, asserting that Meyer had been harassing the older fan before the confrontation escalated.
This is not Strahinja Jokic’s first run-in with the law in Denver. In 2019, he faced assault charges after being accused of choking and pushing a woman and preventing her from calling 911. He later pleaded guilty to obstructing phone service, a misdemeanor, and to a felony count of trespassing under a deferred sentence. That trespassing charge was dismissed in 2022 after he completed unsupervised probation and complied with court requirements.
The Nuggets, meanwhile, will begin the 2025–26 NBA season on October 23 in a matchup with the Golden State Warriors.
