Adrian Wojnarowski on rumors Nikola Jokic's lack of social media presence is costing NBA money: "He's not changing for anybody" originally appeared on Basketball Network .
Even though most think he is the best basketball player in the world, Nikola Jokic has no social media presence whatsoever and isn't really interested in being the NBA's ambassador. This has made it almost impossible for the league to market its biggest superstar.
Rumors are swirling that the NBA loses money because Jokic has no social media accounts. Adrian Wojnarowski , who has encountered every personality type during his long career, addressed that topic on The Jao Mile Podcast.
"Jokic is going to be who he is," he said . "He's not changing for anybody. So, if they lost some money on it, I don't think any of them are going to the poor house. If Jokic having an Instagram account meant somebody had a few more dollars… He has played a game in a way that dominated in a way very few players have dominated. He plays at his own speed, he controls the speed of the game, you can't speed him up."
"It's mesmerizing what he's done, and individually, he's had the kind of seasons very few players have ever had. He's had great team success — winning a championship and going deep in the playoffs in other years. To me, he's authentic, he's who he is. There are a lot of players I covered who weren't sure who they were and they're trying to be someone else," he concluded.
This is nothing new to those who've seen players pretend to be something they're not. But in Jokic's case, there's no acting.
Just a month ago, his horse won a race in Europe and it brought him to tears. The video instantly went viral, as fans pointed out how calm he was when winning the NBA title with the Denver Nuggets , yet deeply emotional over his horse's victory. It's another reminder that Jokic is anything but the league's poster boy.
It's incredibly difficult to resist the pull of fame and money, especially with his level of success, but Jokic has stayed grounded from day one.
Adding to the story, DeMarcus Cousins revealed last week that during their time together in Denver, Jokic told him he was considering retirement before signing his supermax deal .
"I said, 'Leave 300 million dollars on the table? You out of your MFing mind!' I said, 'Sign the contract and get fat, at worst. Don't pass up on the 300 million, bro,'" Cousins recalled .
One gets the feeling that if Jokic pushed himself even harder toward basketball, his achievements could be even greater — and they're already historic.
Before turning 30, the Nuggets superstar won three MVP awards, a WCF MVP, a Finals MVP, an NBA title, seven All-Star selections and five All-NBA First Team honors. He's also just the third player in history to average a triple-double over a season, joining Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook .
The ease with which Jokic dominates the game is simply astonishing. And even though he refuses to capitalize on it off the court and treats basketball like a job, the Serbian center will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest players the NBA has ever seen.
Related: Adrian Wojnarowski on his favorite Woj Bombs: "I only ever really thought of the next one"
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Aug 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
