Nikola Jokic created a very awkward moment during the 2023 NBA All-Star Game Draft on Sunday night, but the Denver Nuggets star apparently did so without knowing it.
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo were the captains for the All-Star Game. They drafted their starters from a pool of eight players, and Jokic and Lauri Markkanen were the last two remaining after six picks were made. But before LeBron could announce who he was picking with his final pick, Jokic stood up and walked over to the Los Angeles Lakers star.
Jokic said you not taking Lauri over me and made the pick himself pic.twitter.com/tcro5kwkRb
— Complex Sports (@ComplexSports) February 20, 2023
Many took that to mean Jokic did not want to be the last pick of the starters. Mike Malone, who coaches Jokic with the Nuggets and was the coach of Team LeBron on Sunday, said Jokic actually did not realize Markkanen was still sitting up on stage.
Nikola actually thought he was the last pick.
He didn’t realize Markanen was still there!
Malone explains. pic.twitter.com/UMzXYAkP1G
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) February 20, 2023
“He feels bad because he didn’t realize that Lauri Markkanen was still on the stage,” Malone told reporters after Team Giannis defeated Team LeBron. “He thought he was the last pick. He goes, ‘I can’t believe I’m the last pick.’ So he just walked down and put his arm around LeBron like, ‘OK, I guess it’s me and you, buddy.’
“He apologized to Lauri because he had no idea that he was still up on the stage. He didn’t try to jump in front of Lauri Markkanen. He just didn’t realize he was up there.”
Some felt that was hard to believe. As you can see in the video below, Markkanen was seated just a few stools over from Jokic. How could he have missed him?
Nikola Jokic hopped up early so that he wouldn’t be the last starter picked in the 2023 NBA All-Star Game draft, surprising Lauri Markkanen pic.twitter.com/JOpj5jMY6Z
— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) February 20, 2023
In Jokic’s defense, it was dark on the stage. Markkanen was not offended, either. He ended up on the winning team and had some fun with the situation during Jokic’s postgame press conference.
Markanen wanted to hear why Jokic jumped in front of him during roster picks. Hahaha. @AltitudeTV pic.twitter.com/0Xj3p44rmz
— Vic Lombardi (@VicLombardi) February 20, 2023
