The Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs faced off on Friday night for a group-clinching NBA Cup game, but fans would have been much more excited if both teams were healthy. The Spurs played without superstar center Victor Wembanyama, eliminating a matchup between the Spurs’ 7-foot-4 French phenom and the Nuggets’ three-time MVP Nikola Jokic.
Still, even though the two superstars did not face off on Friday night, Spurs head coach Mitch Johnson was asked about a comparison between Jokic and Wembanyama.
“I would say it feels like it’s similar. I’ve only heard Jokic say a couple of funny jokes to Pop [Gregg Popovich] on the sidelines. Obviously, his interest in his horses and home is well known, so I assume it’s true. I think Victor is someone as well that has, as we’ve seen, interests outside of basketball. I think we all need something to help balance us and so that’s great that those guys are showing that,” Johnson said before Friday’s game.
Jan 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) battle for position during an inbound pass in the second half at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Jokic and Wemby are similar off the court
Johnson does not recognize any comparisons between the two stars in regard to their playing style or on-court impact, but instead finds similarities in their off-court personalities.
Jokic has always had a personality that suggests his NBA career takes a backseat to his personal love for horses and his home life in Serbia. Wembanyama is not necessarily the same in that regard, as he consistently shows his passion for basketball and makes his NBA career his focus, but certainly has interests outside of the game.
An emotional Nikola Jokic reacts after watching his horse win 🥲
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 27, 2025
Of course, it is challenging to compare their on-court play regardless, as they are very different players despite having a similar level of impact. Jokic is statistically one of the most impactful players in NBA history, and while Wembanyama is certainly not there yet, his high-level two-way play is expected to get him there.
In Friday’s game between the Nuggets and Spurs, Jokic finished with 21 points, ten assists, and nine rebounds, but the superstar center attempted just ten shots. Maybe Jokic would have tried to do more if he wanted to prove something with Wembanyama matched up against him, but the alien-less Spurs ultimately took down Serbian superstar and the Nuggets in Denver.
More Denver Nuggets Content