Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic recently revealed the close relationship he has with Chicago Bulls' Nikola Vucevic. Apart from sharing the same first name and the same position on the court, the two also have a common pastime as brought up by Jokic.

The two centers recently came up against each other when the Nuggets played the Bulls on Monday night. Vucevic and the Bulls managed to win the game 109-97, with Vucevic scoring 20 points and claiming 10 rebounds. Despite being on the losing side, Jokic also had himself a good game with his 60th career triple-double. The 2020-2021 MVP went off for 17 points, 15 assists, and 12 rebounds that ultimately weren't enough for the victory.

Throughout the game, Jokic and Vucevic went back and forth with each other and could be seen speaking during stoppages. When talking to reporters following the Nuggets' loss, Jokic brought up the bond he shares with Vucevic (via HarrisonWind):

The bond between the two Balkans goes way back. Even before Jokic entered the NBA, Vucevic had already heard of him as the Serb who played center like no one had before. In Jokic's rookie year in the NBA, he would ask Vucevic certain things about being a rookie and living in the U.S. Vucevic himself also had words to say on his relationship with Jokic (via NBC):

“Over the years we've gotten to know each other really well. He's obviously a great player and a good friend of mine. So it's fun to go up against him.”

Their recent encounter was definitely more fun for Nikola Vucevic than it was for Nikola Jokic. Regardless of the result, however, it is clear that their close friendship goes beyond basketball.