The itinerary was settled on Sunday, two days before the scheduled departure.
The Nuggets found out Nikola Jokic had won his second consecutive MVP several days earlier, but as it turns out, planning a covert, international surprise party takes time. Nuggets coach Michael Malone sent team president Tim Connelly a text.
“I said ‘Listen, man, no one other than you and me should be giving him this award over there,’” Malone said. “‘Whatever we have to do to make this happen, let’s go to Serbia and give him the award.’”
Among the traveling party — Connelly, Malone, assistant coach Ogi Stojakovic, strength coach Felipe Eichenberger, PR director Nick O’Hayre and cameraman Bob Nicolai — there was at least some discussion about being discreet. Translation: Don’t wear Nuggets paraphernalia at the airport.
As Tuesday approached, news of Jokic’s second consecutive MVP had already leaked. The Nuggets had always expected him to win, so that aspect of the surprise didn’t matter much. What mattered was keeping the presentation under wraps.
“We gotta be at the (horse) stables,” Connelly said. “How are we going to do this?”
The trip had a hiccup almost immediately. As O’Hayre went through security at Denver International Airport, his carry-on bag, toting a 40-pound solid crystal MVP trophy, got flagged.
Fearing any kind of public display, the bag got searched in a private room, away from prying eyes and nosy cameras. Beyond that early obstacle, the Nuggets were on their way to Sombor, Serbia, by way of Munich then Belgrade.
The initial foundation for the plan had been laid before they’d even lifted off. Nikola’s brothers, Nemanja and Strahinja, were stateside but they approved — and helped facilitate — the surprise. Typically protective of his offseason and hometown, Nikola normally wouldn’t want so many drop-in visitors. He’s fond of telling people where he’ll be in the offseason before adding a wry, cautionary note: “You won’t find me.”
The decision, on this occasion, wasn’t his to make. The Nuggets could’ve sent him the MVP trophy without any fanfare, effectively downplaying the accomplishment. They wanted to make it special.
With boots on the ground in Serbia, the choice was obvious. Nikola’s wife, Natalija, and his agent, Misko Raznatovic, were in on it, too. Outside of the presentation itself, the Nuggets were flying by the seat of their pants.
Once they landed Wednesday, Stojakovic, a native of Belgrade, was the obvious pick to drive the two hours to Sombor. To accommodate the traveling party, camera equipment and trophy itself, the group opted for a sprinter van. Malone rode shotgun, as Stojakovic, a history buff, navigated the slow, single-lane roads and narrated the history of the towns.
Nuggets governor Josh Kroenke landed at almost the same time. On his way to Sombor, his party was slightly ahead of the van and waited at a gas station near Jokic’s horse stable for the group to convene. It was there that the group all donned matching T-shirts.
“Some people want to see you fail,” the shirts read. “Disappoint them.”
Enthused and energetic, Connelly encouraged Nicolai, the cameraman, to start documenting.
“This is awesome,” Connelly said. “We’re at a gas station in Serbia right now, man!”
As the group hustled over to Jokic’s stables Wednesday afternoon, there was barely 10 minutes to spare. The jet-lagged crew, running high on adrenaline, had made it.
When Jokic turned the corner on his trotter, he was already being serenaded by a traditional Serbian song. The musicians, playing a tune about a long journey on horseback, were friends of the Jokic family.
The MVP’s smile beamed from 30 feet away. By the time he got closer, tears were welling beneath his sunglasses.
“You don’t see Nikola get emotional,” Malone said. “That, for me, that moment, was what made it special. … It was just so pure.”
Between his black socks, Nike tank top and riding helmet, it may have been the most unassuming coronation in NBA history. In other words, perfectly Jokic.
