Superstars resist the spotlight! The elusive Jokic means a lot to Denver

Originally compiled from: The New York Times

Written by Sopan Deb

原标题：Nikola Jokic, an Elusive Superstar, Has a Hold on Denver

As a center for the Nuggets, Jokic may be the league's best player, but he defies the spotlight. Still, he made his own way to get a place in a city — after all, the city was so desperate for someone he could trust.

Jokic is the new king of Denver

Two miles from downtown Denver, a yellow-orange-red mural hangs on the shattered gray cement wall of a makeshift labor agency. The mural is 20 feet tall, and it depicts an expressionless Nikola Jokic and the expressive Jamal Murray next to him—his eyes tightened and his arms outstretched as if he were opening a bow and an arrow.

Thomas Evans, a 38-year-old artist, recently painted such a mural depicting the Nuggets' twin stars as the Denver Nuggets were preparing for the NBA Finals. Hours before the first game began Thursday afternoon, Damian Luxe was filming his rap MV "Its Nuthin" in front of the mural. Luckroe, known as Brother Racing (but not Portland Blazers star "cousin"), said the mural inspired him to co-write the song in honor of Jokic.

He raped a few of his favorite lyrics: "Sweeping neatly is not wrong with me, easy to break the news like vermilion, straight down four rings to wear, three pairs are not crazy He is the new king." ”

The former King was LeBron James for most people, and his Los Angeles Lakers had just been swept by the Nuggets in the Western Conference finals. LeBron James, the NBA's signature star, has four championship rings, piles of advertising endorsements and constant social media appearances, while Jokic has none.

"I saw myself in him," said Evans, who also went through twists and turns. "I work hard in my studio all day, and I'm not as happy to show myself as everyone else," he says. "I don't want to be in front of the camera, I don't want to be featured in a magazine, I just want to do my job and let my work express myself."

Obscurity is Jokic's character

NBA stars carry a city's identity — or instill themselves in it. Magic Johnson's passion for drunken gold makes him a perfect match for the city of Los Angeles; The same goes for James's quest for fame. Patrick Ewing's toughness aptly represents New York. Jokic, a 28-year-old Serb, who may be the best player in the NBA, like San Antonio's Tim Duncan, is a mystery. But it's really in line with the heritage of Denver and Colorado.

"He has that special talent — that humble, not in the spotlight, down-to-earth team player attributes," said Colorado Democratic Sen. Michael Bennett, "and we think Denver and Colorado are synonymous with pedaling." ”

Bennet wore a Nuggets warm-up jersey in Washington on Thursday to call for votes to raise the debt ceiling. A two-time MVP star like Jokic can already become a motivating symbol of a city on his own. Denver Mayor Michael . B. Hancock estimates that this trip to the Denver Nuggets' playoffs is expected to bring the city $25 million in economic gains.

Still, Jokic has little cultural influence off the court, while the Nuggets have struggled to gain public attention, trying to get a piece of the pie with the Colorado Avalanche and Colorado Rocky Mountains. But this obscurity is Jokic's own personality. Becoming a star wasn't his intention, and when asked if he was the Nuggets' best player, Jokic told reporters Wednesday: "Sometimes I am, sometimes I wasn't, I don't care." ”

Murray, who earned the title "Blue Arrow" for his projection, looks more comfortable with life in the spotlight than Jokic. He is more reasonable, more expressive, and more active on social media. When Jokic wasn't in good form, Murray stepped up. He is said to have promoted more than 10 brands last year, compared to just two in Jokic. It's so unusual for a top star like Jokic.

"I don't know how much impact he made because he didn't care about it," said Viklonbaddy, a Denver sports host.

Jokic hardly attends any interviews outside of his regular press conference, where he only says innocuous things. He signed a contract with Nike but didn't have his own signature shoes. He also doesn't have a podcast and his political stance is a mystery, but he has participated in several business events in Serbia. Jokic recently said that "basketball is not the most important thing in his life and probably never will be." ”

"I think when you're recognized as a benchmark you have to connect with the public," said Andre Miller, a former Denver Nuggets. He added: "I think Jokic just sees himself as a basketball player. The performance is good, and I go home after playing. This makes his job easier and eliminates all distractions. ”

For a top player like Jokic, it's really unusual to have little to no interviews or business...

Nuggets forward Jeff Green said, "His job is to play basketball, not to meet everyone's needs. ”

Another Vlatko Chanchar giggled when asked about Jokic's status as a public figure.

"It's hard to please everyone when you're in that position as a star," he said, "and I think he's happy to sign autographs, shake hands and take pictures with everyone." But it's almost impossible because there are so many people who want to do it. ”

Others called Jokic "a rare presence in the modern basketball era." He said Colorado really appreciated his ability to remain maverick off the court, with Colorado Democratic Rep. John Sieken Ruper saying Jokic was "like a bear that can dance ballet."

"It's really a good façade for Colorado because we were a cowtown before — a mining town," says West Ken Ruper. Denver is very athletic right now, and I don't know if the people of Denver are good at ballet, but they are trying it. ”

White NBA stars often have different words than black stars, such as tenacity and selflessness. In fact, everyone who knows Jokic is happy to praise him for his selflessness in passing – and he deserves that title. Jokic has also said that he prefers passing to scoring. The way he became a star is a challenge for the NBA, which is always experimenting with different ways of making stars. But the league has some integrity: The Nuggets, who have a two-time MVP winner, have less chances of receiving national broadcasts in a season than some of the lesser teams.

In addition, some Colorado residents have not even been able to watch a Nuggets game for the past four years due to controversy over high-altitude transportation fees. NBA chairman Adam Shaw said it was "really bad." Mayor Hancock called it "unfortunate."

"These great and young players have lost the fame they deserve, especially in a season where they have done so much," he said. Stan Kolok is the owner of the Nuggets Avalanche and Altitude team. Governor Polis said Stan "can make both sides do his bidding." ”

In Jokic's native Serbia, the NBA is popular. When he was at home during the offseason, he behaved the same way he did in Denver: away from the public, according to the U.S. ambassador to Serbia, Christopher. R. Hill said. "But now everyone is talking about Jokic," he said.

"Races usually start at two in the morning," Hill said. He had been in Denver for a decade before taking office in 2020. "People stay up late for it. It's really incredible. They all yawned when I spoke to the Serbian government staff – sorry, I watched Jokić last night. ”

"It's not about money," Mr. Avdić said. "It's not about reputation. That's just for him — it's really too much trouble. No, or rather, it's a burden. ”

Kostić said Belgrade, a capital city with a rich nightlife, often feels like home for well-known Serbian athletes from smaller cities.

"Jokic is not like that," Kostić said. "He likes to be in his hometown of Sombor, where everyone knows him and doesn't harass him."

Both Jokic and Anthony have made the Nuggets better

20 years ago, the Denver Nuggets selected an almost Jokic replica — Cameron Anthony. He's more of a traditional star player – going to business, buying jerseys and selling signed shoes. While he was still at Syracuse University, he began to use his style and confidence to create a wave of fashion. He spent more than 7 years in Denver and coincidentally wore the number 15 shirt like Jokic.

As an executive with the Nuggets, Chiki van der Vich drafted Anthony and believes that both Jokic and Anthony have just the right way to show their qualities as star players and perform extremely well on the court, saying that Jokic makes the team better.

"He can play amazing every night," said Vanderwich, who played for the Nuggets in the '80s. "He showed the attitude the city deserves and led the team to victory. He's the kind of successful star player. ”

Mural painter Evans says he rarely paints celebrities, but he is willing to break the ring for Jokic. He finished the first Jokic mural in Denver's Five O'Clock neighborhood in February, and added Jamal Murray to the second, just as the NBA Finals had just begun.

Caroline Simonson, a 22-year-old Nuggets fan from Boulder, said she spent $810 for the G1 to sit in the bleachers. "Maybe Jokic's public image won't appeal to fans across the country, but that doesn't include Denver fans," she said. ”

"We're proud that we know what Colorado stands for," she said. "Maybe others don't know how much it's worth, but we do. It's really special for us, and sometimes we all want to be selfish and make it just us, just like we do with Jokic. ”