The Basketball World Cup Qualifier will include NBA superstar Nikola Jokic this summer, according to MozzartSport.
Head Coach Dušan Alimpijević revealed in an interview that he is in constant contact with the Denver Nuggets center. The Serbian coach noted that Jokic would be with the team in “both windows” in July and August.
Jokic has been representing Serbia’s Senior team since 2016. He made his debut in the FIBA Qualifying Tournament with four games played then. He has appeared in seven different international events with the team, including last year’s EuroBasket run.
During the 2025 EuroBasket games, Jokic averaged 22.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in six matchups.
In the year before that, Jokic played in the 2024 Summer Olympics, which took place in Paris, France. He played in six games, averaging 18.8 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 8.7 assists.
Nikola Jokic Will Get Extended Run Before The 2026-2027 NBA Season
The Nuggets didn’t go as far as they had hoped to in 2025-2026.
Despite finishing the year as the third seed in the Western Conference, the Nuggets couldn’t make it past the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.
On a personal level, Jokic struggled against Minnesota’s big man, Rudy Gobert. In six games, Jokic produced an average of 25.8 points, 9.5 assists, and 13.2 rebounds per game. He struggled with his shot, making 44.6% from the field and 19.4% from three.
Prior to the playoff run, Jokic had another impressive season. The star center averaged a triple-double with 27.7 points, 10.7 assists, and 12.9 rebounds per game. He shot 56.9% from the field and hit on 38.0% of his threes.
It was another year where Jokic ended as an MVP finalist. However, he came second to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder for the second year in a row.
Before the 2026-2027 NBA season, Jokic will get an extended run with Serbia. The MVP-caliber big man is hoping to bounce back after a disappointing playoff exit and a season that included a long injury recovery for the first time in his career.