Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic is a two-time MVP winner who just won his first-ever NBA title and Finals MVP. However, he’ll probably tell you that these aren't the most valuable achievements of his life. The Joker will probably tell you that his wife is his biggest treasure.

Jokic mentions during most interviews and press conferences that he loves his family, and his favorite activity isn't basketball but is spending time with them. So let's take a closer look at Nikola Jokic's, wife Natalija Macesic, who now goes by Natalija Jokic. 

Who is Natalija Jokic?

 

Based on reports, Jokic and Macesic started dating in high school in 2013. She’s actually really private, which is to be expected, especially if you’re dating an NBA superstar.

This is even more so true when your significant other is Nikola Jokic, perhaps the most private superstar in NBA history. She did, however, accompany Jokic in London when the Nuggets played the Indiana Pacers in the NBA Global Games in 2017. 

Macesic was a big reason Jokic was even drafted at all. Jokic wasn't a highly sought-after prospect due to his lack of athleticism, and many thought he would play out his entire basketball career overseas.

It is what led to him falling the NBA Draft, but the Nuggets decided to take a flier. Macesic was living in the United States, so then-general manager Tim Connelly believed he could convince the big man to come stateside.

When did Nikola Jokic, Natalija Macesic get married? 

When Jokic and the Nuggets were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA bubble, he spent his offseason with Macesic, whom he eventually married in October 2020. The couple tied the knot in Sombor, Serbia, in a private wedding.

Mrs. Jokic now lives in Denver with her husband and studied psychology at Metropolitan State — a college that’s quite near to Ball Arena, where the Nuggets play their home games. 

Do Nikola and Natalija Jokic have children?

The couple had their first child, a daughter named Ognjena, in September 2021. Perhaps there will be more little Jokers on the way in the future after winning an NBA title. Given what we know about him, he has to be a great dad.

Jokic seems like a really laid-back and nice guy. He doesn’t seem like the type to flaunt his achievements, and his postgame quotes are sometimes the funniest.

He talks about loving horses and occasionally jokes about eating junk food, especially after losing a lot of weight, and is probably one of the most comedic players in the NBA today. His nickname, after all, is The Joker. 

What’s also remarkable about Jokic is he is the type of player who does not need the recognition or attention he rightfully deserves. That’s why his private life is not as loud as other players on social media.

Not that it’s bad to be expressive, but that’s just how Jokic is as a person on and off the court. While Nikola doesn't have social media, Natalija does have an Instagram account with over 28,000 followers. However, she is not all that active and only has two posts in 2023. 

Jokic family celebrates NBA championship

If there’s something Jokic and Natalija are celebrating right now, it’s his latest achievement: winning the Nuggets' first-ever NBA title and a Finals MVP in the process. 

This playoff run comes after Jokic failed to win NBA MVP for a third-straight season, though he finished No. 2 and had another deserving season after he became a back-to-back winner in 2022.

Selected 41st overall in the 2014 NBA Draft, Jokic first became the lowest-drafted player to win MVP and then the 13th player ever to win back-to-back. Not bad at all for the unassuming big man.

It's safe to assume, though, that most NBA teams are deeply regretting passing on Jokic, who, by the way, was drafted by the Nuggets during a Taco Bell commercial. Let's not forget that.

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The Jokic family, including Jokic's big brothers, are the baby brother's biggest fans. They come to a lot of games, and Jokic often recognizes them in the crowd.

Jokic and his Nuggets have dreams of becoming a dynasty. That journey started last year, but they will need another big season. If Jokic can reach his on-court goals, his wide will be a big reason why.

If there’s a lesson to take away from Joker's inspiring story, it’s really how he approaches life in general. That’s the underrated beauty about sports — learning through the athlete’s stories.

Jokic’s journey will inspire underdogs to believe that they can achieve anything if they keep grinding. All it takes is for one person to believe in you, and the rest will follow. 

And for Nikola Jokic, that one person has always been Natalija Macesic.

How Nikola Jokic honors his wife

Their relationship is a good example of how important it is to value family, or in Jokic’s case, his wife.

From high school sweethearts to growing up together and now celebrating winning the NBA’s most prestigious award together multiple times as well as a championship and Finals MVP, life is indeed more beautiful when you spend it with the right people. And to top it all off, Nikola Jokic honors his marriage every game.

That's pretty neat! Congrats to the Jokic family!