‘Terrible!’ Nuggets Star Nikola Jokic’s Ejection Was So Shocking it Got Called Out By the Opposing Team’s Announcers

Ahmad Austin Jr.Dec 13th, 2023, 11:58 am
 

The Tuesday night ejection of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic was so egregious that even the announcers for the Chicago Bulls were upset with it.

Late in the fourth quarter of the game between the two teams, Jokic missed a layup under his own basket. He believed he was fouled and began complaining to a referee while running to the other side of the court to get back on defense. When Bulls guard Coby White got fouled and play was stopped, Jokic continued expressing his frustration. He was given his first technical foul of the game for the outburst. Then, it was revealed he’d actually been outright ejected.

“I saw the official kinda point as if he was ejecting Jokic from the game,” NBC Sports announcer Adam Amin said. “That can’t be right, can it? Did he get ejected from the game.”

As Amin spoke, the broadcast showed an incredulous Jokic reacting to the news that his night was over. The crowd at Chicago’s United Center also voice its displeasure when boos came raining down.

“Listen, that’s terrible,” analyst Stacey King said. “That’s excessive. Give the guy a tech. He should’ve gotten a tech. He thought he got fouled. But to eject a guy? Come on now. The people didn’t come to see the officials. Let’s just be honest. They came to see the players. He’s one of the players that people came to see.

“Give him a tech… He’s a two-time MVP. He earned the right to be able to communicate!”

After the game, the referees’ justification was that Jokic used language that warranted an immediate ejection. Nuggets coach Michael Malone wasn’t happen with the explanation and joked that what he Jokic said was considered a “term of endearment” in his home as a child.

Jokic, on the other hand, made the bold choice to subtly suggest refs wouldn’t get away with it in his home country of Serbia.

Making matters even worse was the fact that the Bulls were celebrating Serbian Heritage Night. According to the Serbian American Voters Alliance, Chicago has the largest population of Serbs in U.S. It was the only time Jokic would be in Chicago all season, meaning their only chance to see the pride of their country came to an abrupt end for seemingly no reason.

Watch above via NBC Sports Chicago

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