The Jokic Brothers: Everything to Know About Nikola, Strahinja and Nemanja

Mar. 15, 2025

Nikola Jokic, Strahinja Jokic and Nemanja Jokic.Photo:Bart Young/NBAE/Getty ; Aaron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty

Bart Young/NBAE/Getty ; Aaron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty

Basketball runs in the family for brothersNikola Jokic, Strahinja Jokic and Nemanja Jokic.

Their father,Branislav Jokic, and his wife raised their three sons in the family’s hometown of Sombor, Serbia. Their father was an agricultural engineer, and the boys grew up prioritizing family above all else.

The Denver Nuggets selected Nikola in the 2014 NBA draft, and he officially joined the team the following year. He has received numerous accolades during his professional basketball career, including the 2023 NBA Championship, theBill RussellNBA Finals MVP Award, two NBA MVP Awards and five NBA All-Star Game appearances.

“Basketball is not the main thing in my life and probably never going to be,” Nikola told reporters of balancing career and family at the2023 NBA Finals. “And, to be honest, I like it because I have something more at home that is more important than basketball.”

From their childhood in Serbia to their big move to the U.S. for Nikola’s NBA career, here’s everything to know about Nikola, Strahinja and Nemanja Jokic.

They grew up together in Serbia

Nikola Jokic and his brother, Strahinja, after the fourth quarter of the Nuggets' 94-89 NBA Finals in 2023.Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/Getty

Aaron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post/Getty

Growing up, the Jokic brothers, their parents and their grandmother lived in a small apartment in Sombor, where they also hosted regular stays from their extended family members.

“It was my mom, dad, me, my two brothers and my grandma,” Nikola recalled in an essay forThe Players’ Tribune. “It was always a full house. My brothers — cousins really, but in Serbia we call them brothers — also came over. It was always a full house of people, and we always mess around. We were crazy kids. We were making a lot of noise.”

In an interview withSports Illustrated, Nikola described the competitive relationship he had with his older brothers, particularly Strahinja. “He once held down my arms and threw knives all around my head,” Nikola said. “That was a little crazy.”

They all had careers in basketball

Nikola wasn’t the first Jokic brother to become a professional basketball player. In fact, he got his passion for the sport from his older brothers.

Strahinja was a professional basketball player in Serbia for several different teams before he retired. Nemanja played for theUniversity of Detroit Mercybefore transferring to the C.W. Post Campus atLong Island University. He played one season with the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Steamers of the Premier Basketball League before returning to play in Serbia, perSlammagazine.

He noted that the family had a miniature basketball hoop in their apartment — much to the dismay of their downstairs neighbors.

Nikola’s brothers and parents support him at his games

Nikola Jokic (15) of the Denver Nuggets celebrates the NBA championship with his brother Strahinja after defeating the Miami Heat 94-89 in 2023.Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty

Andy Cross/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post/Getty

Denver Nuggets fans are likely in the stands alongside Strahinja and Nemanja, who are known to be vocal during games. When a game is close, Strahinja moves seats to sit separately and punch chairs — a tenseness that reportedly runs in the family. Their parents are also passionate fans when they come to visit.

“Our dad is really passionate about watching the games,” Nemanja toldBleacher Report. “He screams, yells. Nobody sits around him.”

In 2023, Nikola spoke at an NBA Finals press conference about his family’s lifelong support. “My mom and dad was always supporting [me], my dad especially. He always thought that I could be something more,” he told reporters. “When I go to the other city, then my older brother took that role and he lived with me. Then we came to the United States, and then my brother, Nemanja, who lived here before … we get together, and it’s just a nice journey.”

Most recently, Strahinja and Nemanja werespotted in the standsat the Nuggets vs. Philadelphia 76ers game on Jan. 21.

The brothers are on social media

Strahinja and Nemanja share a Jokic Brothers account onX(formerly known as Twitter). Over the years, they’ve shared both their thoughts about the game and even some smack talk.

Nikola and Strahinja helped turn Nemanja’s life around

Nemanja Jokic and Nikola Jokic celebrate after winning Game Five of the 2023 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty

Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty

Nemanja had a tough start to his basketball career, he toldSIin 2017.

“I made mistakes,” Nemanja said. “When I was young, basketball wasn’t my No. 1 priority. Going out, having fun, drinking, girls, that was my No. 1 priority. I was making my own decisions — ‘I’m not going to practice’ — when I still needed family support. That’s what I was missing."

When Nikola joined the Nuggets in 2015, his brothers moved to Denver with him. Although Nemanja was confident that his little brother wouldn’t slip up like he did, he and Strahinja wanted to give their youngest brother the support they wanted in their own careers.

“He’s an intelligent guy and I’m confident he wouldn’t get off track here,” Nemanja told the outlet. “But this is such an important time and I want him to have the kind of support I didn’t. I always tell him, ‘You’re living my dream. Don’t take it for granted. Don’t make the mistakes we made.’ "

The brothers have passions for other sports

In 2019, their father Branislav spoke toAgence France-Presseabout Nikola’s passion for horse racing, which he “inherited” from his father. The Jokic family owns a small stable with some of their horses competing in harness racing, perFrance 24.

Growing up, Nikola and his brothers cleaned the stables before they went to school. These days, the family enjoys riding around the track and watching competitions.

“I buy a friend,” Nikola joked toBleacher Reportabout adopting his first horse, Dream Catcher. “He don’t talk, but we can talk, you know?” He also said that if he weren’t playing basketball, he would be working as a stable boy.

The brothers are uncles to Nikola’s daughter

Nikola Jokic with his daughter Ognjen after the 2023 NBA Finals.Justin Edmonds/Getty

Justin Edmonds/Getty

Nikola and his wife,Natalija Jokic, welcomed their daughter,Ognjena Jokic, in September 2021. She was in the stands with her mother and uncles cheering on her father whenhis team beat the Miami Heatto win the 2023 NBA Championship. She has regularly attended games with her family.

“I think all of us who have a wife and kids should be happy with the persons we have beside us,” Nikola shared withArena Sport. “When you have a normal life, it lifts you up and only helps you.”

Strahinja and Nemanja went viral for their confrontation with the Morris brothers

Markieff Morris defends against Nikola Jokic in 2018.Scott Taetsch/Getty

Scott Taetsch/Getty

In 2021, Strahinja and Nemanja created their Twitter account just to respond to tweets from the Morris twins, who were playing for the Miami Heat and the Los Angeles Clippers. During a game between the Nuggets and the Heat,Markieff Morriscommitted a hard foul on Nikola. Nikola then shoved Markieff in the back, starting an altercation between the two teams on the court. Nikola was suspended for one game and Markieff was fined $50,000 for his part in the altercation. Markieff also sustained whiplash from the shove and could not play for four months, perthe Associated Press.

Markieff’s brother,Marcus Morris Sr., who plays for the Clippers,tweetedabout the incident. “Waited till bro turned his back smh. NOTED ✍🏾,” he wrote.

Strahinja and Nemanja created an account to respond to Marcus. “You should leave this the way it is instead of publicly threatening our brother! Your brother made a dirty play first,” they wrote in a since-deleted tweet. “If you want to make a step further, be sure we will be waiting for you !!”

Strahinja was charged with assault following a fight in April 2024

Strahinja Jokic in 2023.AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post

AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post

During an NBA playoff game between the Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers in April 2024, Strahinja climbed over a row of seats andpunched a fan. Video footage of the incident quickly went viral and Strahinja was charged with misdemeanor assault.

According to9News, hepled not guiltyto the charge in January 2025 and another court date has been set for March. Strahinja has said that he was “defending an older man that he has known for a long time.”

source: people.com