Jokic Reflects on Global Basketball and Team USA Ahead of Mexico City Showdown

MEXICO CITY – Just before the NBA Mexico City Game 2026, scheduled for Saturday at Arena CDMX where the Denver Nuggets take on the Indiana Pacers, Serbian star Nikola Jokic discussed the evolution of the game and the distinctions between North America and Europe.

“I don’t know if that’s true or not,” said the 31-year-old center about whether international players are the undisputed best in the world right now. “I think there’s a lot of talent.”

Focusing on the contributions of European players, especially with himself and France’s Victor Wembanyama commanding the court, the Joker reiterated his rejection of any sense of superiority.

“I’m going to say the same thing. It’s a talented league. There’s a bunch of players,” he furthered.

Nevertheless, he pointed out a notable cultural difference concerning accountability.

“I said one time, I think the European players have a little bit more pressure of playing,” Jokic added. “Playing in Europe, if you lose one or two games, you’re maybe not going to get salary in the third game for something like that. We just have the pressure.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming 2026–27 Regular Season matchup, the former champion and three-time Most Valuable Player expects an enthusiastic audience. “I think it’s going to be great,” he remarked.

Triple-double alert

The stadium offers a distinctive setting, located at an altitude exceeding Denver’s Mile High benchmark, which might theoretically provide the Nuggets with a competitive edge.

“We’ll see,” he answered a question about if he can post a triple-double in Mexico City. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

FIBA basketball

The discussion also shifted to the FIBA arena and the potential for Team USA to maintain dominance at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

“I don’t think Team USA won’t have a great team,” stated Jokic, countering other projections. “I think they’re still the best, and we’ll see.”

Top 5 players

At the end, Jokic attempted to identify the five greatest international players in history. He struggled to narrow the list, mentioning only Giannis Antetokounmpo, Dirk Nowitzki, and Hakeem Olajuwon before halting.

“The top five is really hard,” he stressed, while declining to include himself in the list. “It’s a hard question.”