Nikola Jokic is putting one of his rituals to rest in the upcoming season. The Serbian superstar has been tying his wedding ring to his shoelaces since getting married in 2020. However, he’ll no longer be doing it for a hilarious reason.
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In a clip uploaded on the House of Highlights’ Instagram account, the Nuggets superstar was asked about the origin of that tradition and whether he plans on continuing it in the upcoming season. Jokic said that he’ll have to put an end to it because he has lost two wedding rings and he doesn’t want to add a third to the list.
During the Nuggets’ Media Day, the Serbian was asked, “You tie your ring on your shoe before every game, where did that come from? And do you plan on keeping that up in this season?” The center replied, “No, because I lost it. I lost the second ring my wife got me.”
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Although, understandably, the three-time NBA MVP must have his mind occupied with so many other things and he can’t focus on keeping the ring safe, there’s a heartwarming story behind why he started doing it in the first place.
Unlike other NBA superstars, Jokic doesn’t enjoy the limelight. He lives a simple life surrounded by his family, friends, and his stable full of horses. The inspiration to tie his wedding ring to his shoelace came from a Serbian teammate who used to do the same.
The significance of that gesture for Jokic is that his family is the most important thing in his life. Since he can’t have the wedding ring on his finger during games, tying it to his shoe was a great way for him to keep his wife close to him, even during games.
Jokic is married to his high school sweetheart Natalija Macesic and it might have been her suggestion to end the ritual to avoid having to spend money on more rings for the Serbian superstar.
