
Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has arrived in Orlando and reunited with his teammates after missing the team’s flight last week due to coronavirus protocols.
Jokic, who tested positive for the coronavirus late June while in Serbia, was required to produce negative results this time before joining the Denver Nuggets in the “bubble” ESPN Wide World Sports Complex.
The Nuggets big man has been in quarantine since Saturday, Marc Stein of New York Times reported.
The Nuggets are set to play their first scrimmage game on July 22 against the Washington Wizards and their first seeding match will kickoff on August 1 against the Miami Heat.
“It was great to see him,” Nuggets coach Mike Malone told of Jokic, who averaged 20.2 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6.9 assists before games were halted last March.
“He’s in great spirits. I think I can speak for everybody on our staff and our roster. Having him around is just very uplifting. Nikola is a big part of what we’re trying to do. Having him here finally is great, obviously. It was wonderful to see him walk through those doors."
Jokic, for his part, is nothing but elated now that he’s able to join his teammates in Orlando.
"I’m just happy to be here to finally come to Orlando to be with the team. Maybe I’m going to surprise everybody, maybe I’m not gonna be good. So, we will see,” the Serbian center said.