Nikola Jokić laces his wedding ring to his shoes before every game

Nikola Jokić laces his wedding ring to his shoes before every game.

Jokic has been lacing up his wedding band on his sneakers for every game this season, a quite warm and loving gesture from the big man. It’s hard to tell if this has improved his game or not since he has just continued where he left off last season, playing at an MVP level and carrying his Denver Nuggets into the automatic playoff spots in the Western Conference. 

Averaging 25 points, 11 rebounds and nearly 10 assists per game, the two-time defending Most Valuable Player strikes fear into the hearts of his opponents while, at the same time, wears a loving tribute to his family on the laces of his size 16 Nike basketball shoes.

As part of his game-day ritual, the Serbian-born big man ties his wedding band into the bow on his left shoe as a heartfelt tribute to the biggest treasures of his life, wife Natalija and one-year-old daughter, Ognjena.

However, Jokic is also very good-natured, a player that has often displayed his love for the game when he is on the court and doing what he does so well. This season though, he’s showcasing a different kind of love, with NBABuzz on Instagram spotting the wholesome gesture Jokic has made towards his wife in every game this season. The subtle — but deeply meaningful — gesture seems to be paying dividends for the perennial All Star, who has helped catapult his team to the top of the Western Conference standings with a record of 31-13.

Social media outlet Official NBA Buzz assembled a collage of Nikola’s ring-embellished sneakers on its Instagram page. The ring is a simple platinum or white gold wedding band with beveled edges.

The Joker married his longtime girlfriend Natalija Macesic in Serbia in October 2020. The love has remained strong after the marriage too, with Jokic’s display an example of what his wife and their relationship means to him. Jokic and Macesic have been together since 2013 and have a daughter named Ognjena together who was born in 2021.