Nikola Jokic made headlines after spending $357,500 on gifts for his Serbian teammates after they won the bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He apparently took inspiration from David Robinson, who once spent much of his $1 million check on watches for his teammate.
In April, former Spurs star Malik Rose made an appearance at the Bring it back Show and was asked about the famous $1 million clause in the Hall of Famer’s contract that got his teammates brand new Rolex watches. He claimed that while he was happy with the new watch, he thought Robinson was “stupid” for spending his money on it. When asked about the Spurs icon’s gesture, Rose said:
“David is probably the dumbest smart aleck I know. We were all playing StarCraft and he (Robinson) said, ‘I think I just won a million dollars.’ I thought, ‘What are you talking about? Are you serious?’ He said, ‘I’m buying all of your Rolex watches.'”
When David Robinson forgot his million dollar bonus and bought the whole team a Rolex⌚️@MalikRose: “David is probably the dumbest smart guy I know.” 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/KzXdLXVr5h
— RunItBack (@RunItBackFDTV) 4 April 2024
The 49-year-old said Robinson had a clause in his contract that gave him a $1 million bonus if the Spurs won the NBA title. He added that the Hall of Famer forgot about the clause but realized he was a million dollars richer after helping the franchise win its first championship in 1999.
It is unclear whether Jokic had any such agreements with the Serbian Basketball Federation, but he did spend a significant amount of money on his Serbian teammates.
Nikola Jokic’s special gift for his compatriots
The three-time NBA MVP and the Serbian men’s national team had a terrific run at the Paris Olympics. They had put Team USA under pressure in the semifinals, but their opponents’ superior firepower was too much for them.
However, they did not leave France empty-handed, as they beat reigning world champions Germany in the bronze medal match to win the country’s third Olympic medal in basketball.
Jokic was apparently pleased with his teammates’ performance in Paris and bought a Rolex for every player who played alongside him for the nation. According to the Serbian tabloid ViewThe watches that the center superstar gave cost $32,500 each. One for each of his teammates, for a total of $357,500.
The Nuggets superstar has a rather reserved and stoic personality. However, in Paris he seemed relaxed and cheerful with his compatriots. His incredible gesture cost him less than three days of his NBA salary, but his thoughtfulness was what stood out.
