Mike Malone distinguishes one Nikola Jokic quality that makes him proud / News - Basketnews.com

Michael Malone holds a deep admiration for Nikola Jokic's personal character and down-to-earth nature, highlighting that he remains unchanged despite his remarkable success.

Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix Credit Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports - Scanpix

His back-to-back MVP awards in 2021 and 2022, along with leading the Denver Nuggets to their first-ever NBA Finals, have firmly established Nikola Jokic as an exceptional player.

Nikola Jokic

Team:Denver NuggetsPosition:C, PFAge:28Height:208 cmWeight:111 kgBirth place:SerbiaProfileNewsStatistics

Yet, it's not just Jokic's on-court achievements that impress his coach, Michael Malone. It's his personal character and down-to-earth nature off the court that truly leave Malone in awe.

When asked about what makes him proud of Jokic beyond basketball, Malone responded with deep admiration, stating, "It's that he remains unchanged."

Malone recognizes that fame and success have the potential to transform individuals, causing them to lose touch with their roots and the people who supported them along the way. However, Jokic has stayed down to earth and unaffected by his remarkable triumphs.

"I think we all see it in all walks of life how does fame, fortune affect you," Malone said. "And for most people, they got to their head and they become something different. Sometimes they forget where they've come from and who helped them to get where they've gotten to.

"And the one thing I really love about Nikola -- just forget basketball -- to your point just as a young man who is a proud father and a husband, but through all the success, the MVPs, the max contracts, all that stuff he's still the same guy.

"I marvel at that because I've been in the league around this game a long time and that is a rarity in this business and for a celebrity, a superstar in general. So the fact that Nikola is still a humble selfless person and he cares about home, he cares about family, he cares about his horses. The guy is just who he is. I couldn't have more respect for him as a man because of that."

Jokic was selected with the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft by the Nuggets. Coming from Serbia, he was relatively unknown to many basketball fans in the United States. Despite being overlooked by many teams, Jokic quickly proved that he had incredible talent and potential.

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