"Future Lakers teammates" - NBA fans abuzz over Nikola Jokic's wholesome gesture toward Luka Doncic after EuroBasket exhibition 

NBA: Denver Nuggets at Dallas Mavericks - Source: Imagn
NBA fans abuzz over Nikola Jokic's wholesome getsure towards Luka Doncic (Image Source: IMAGN)

Nikola Jokic and Luka Doncic shared a wholesome moment on Thursday following their EuroBasket exhibition game. Serbia registered a dominant 106-72 win against Slovenia, after which the star players had a moment to talk to each other. Doncic kissed Luka on the cheek, a common gesture among Europeans.

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The incident sent fans into a frenzy and started speculating a potential team-up for Jokic and Doncic.

"Jokic to Lakers confirmed," a fan said.

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"Yea Jokic is a Laker he is already kissing Luka," another fan wrote.
"Future Lakers teammates," one fan commented.
"This is actually pretty normal for Europeans," someone commented.
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"Anyone who has a problem with this is uncultured," a comment read.
"In Eastern Europe and Middle East that’s how societies greet each other. It’s an endearing gesture," another fan pointed out.

Jokic led Serbia to victory with 10 points, eight rebounds and four assists. The Denver Nuggets star didn't have to do much and was on the floor for just 19 minutes.

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Doncic, meanwhile, struggled and finished with 17 points, seven rebounds, four assists and three turnovers on 2-for-10 shooting from beyond the arc.


Turkish coach likens Nikola Jokic's impact to Steph Curry

Ahead of the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket, Turkish coach Dorde Sijan drew an interesting comparison between Nikola Jokic and Golden State Warriors star Steph Curry. According to Sijan, Jokic changed the game with his approach to scoring, rebounding and passing as a center.

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“Absolutely! Jokic changed the whole game, like Steph Curry. I never worked with Jokic, so Sengun never tried to copy him,” Sijan said via Sports Illustrated on Tuesday. “They call him Baby Jokic for his size, but they’re two different players. Nikola set high standards in everything, and Sengun wants to add his own segments.”
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Sijan has a chance to coach Alperen Sengun, who's often compared to Jokic. However, he said the two players have differences, one being Sengun's lack of a reliable 3-point shot.

“I tell him basketball is like a cake, made of slices," Sijan added. "The slice he’s missing is the three-point shot. NBA is all about shot speed, reactions, and reading the game. Jokic may not be fast, but he plays at full reaction speed."

Last season, Sengun shot 23.3% from beyond the arc on 1.2 attempts. But the Houston Rockets center is gradually improving and could be one of the best players in the NBA soon, much like Nikola Jokic.

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Edited by Kim Daniel Rubinos
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