Nikola Jokic’s meteoric rise from unheralded second-round draft pick to two-time MVP has been well-documented, complete with a Taco Bell commercial. But even when he was a teenager and putting up eye-popping numbers, he was missed by the big Serbian scouts.
Jokic’s agent Misko Raznatovic joined him All the smoke podcast to discuss the star center, who is now competing in the NBA Finals for his first championship. Ražnatović said he discovered Jokic by reading a newspaper and then signed him without actually watching him play.
At the time, Jokic was 17 years old and playing in the Serbian U-18 league. The newspaper clipping caught Raznatovic’s attention — Jokic had 29 points and 26 rebounds, “if I’m not mistaken,” Raznatovic said.
“I said, ‘Wow,’ no more than that,” the agent said, explaining that he doesn’t think much of it right now.
The following weekend, he decided to check this young player’s stats again.
IN podcast video, Raznatovich made a shocked reaction with wide eyes as if he remembered his exact expression. There’s a good chance he will, to be honest. Jokic had 30 points and 15 rebounds if Raznatovic remembers correctly.
Joker has been putting the number on video games since the beginning🃏.
His agent Misko Raznatovic explains how he discovered Jokic by reading a Serbian newspaper.#ATSCroatiaTakeover pic.twitter.com/nBTEoaYgEI
— SHOWTIME Basketball (@shobasketball) June 4, 2023
Ražnatović called his scout to ask about Jokic – “and it’s silence. He didn’t know him.
“It was the surprise of the year, given that he knew all the kids,” Ražnatović recalls.
The agent instructed the scout to find out if Jokic is putting up those numbers because he’s big — or if he’s experienced and versatile. The scout called a few minutes later, confirming that Jokic wasn’t just stronger or older, he was good.
“Very flexible, even a little overweight, cunning, but he is talented.”
Raznatovic told the scout to reach out and sign him. It was unusual for the agent, who described himself as analytical and a believer in systems, but this time he went with a rather spontaneous signature feel.
“This is the first and last player in the 27-year history of the agency that we’ve signed without anyone seeing him,” Rajnatovic said.
Watch full clip above; It is much more compelling than a written description. listen All the smoke podcast here.
More stories:
Michael Porter Jr. Jokes, Trae Young, Brandon Roy ‘Jealous’ He’s In The Finals
A paralyzed student takes inspirational steps during his high school graduation to earn his diploma