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Marc Gasol made an appearance on the “Out of the Mud” podcast, where he caught up with his former teammates Zach Randolph and Tony Allen, sharing a comical story involving himself, Nikola Jokic, and his two siblings.
Gasol recounted that he first encountered Jokic’s brothers at Darko Milicic’s wedding in Serbia. “I’m at Darko’s wedding, and I spot these two fellows,” Gasol recalled. “We were all in high spirits celebrating, and they tell me, ‘Hey man, we have a brother who plays just like you. He’s really talented.’”
In response, Marc was courteous, stating, “I hope he excels. Cheers and ‘živeli’” (which means cheers in Serbian), before enjoying some rakia and continuing on with the festivities.
However, the story took another turn. “Fast forward two or three years later, we’re in Denver, and while I’m warming up, I see those same two guys coming down the stairs, yelling, ‘Mark, Mark!’ I look up, puzzled, and ask what they’re doing here. They excitedly reveal, ‘That’s our brother!’ It turns out, their sibling is Nikola.”
On a more serious note, Gasol heaped praise on Jokic, emphasizing his unique qualities. “At that time, he was playing alongside Jusuf Nurkic and they were competing for playing time, but Nikola didn’t mind coming off the bench,” Gasol described.
“I believe he ranks among the all-time greats, and I truly enjoy watching him play,” Gasol remarked. “His involvement is remarkable; there’s not a single play where he doesn’t touch the ball. When the team is uncertain, they simply pass it to him, and then everything falls into place.”
Tune in to the full podcast featuring Marc Gasol, where he also delves into topics such as the differences between USA and European basketball, his upbringing with brother Pau, and more.
