Nikola Jokic shows up for Lakers game as ‘Gru’ from ‘Despicable Me’

The much-awaited game between the Denver Nuggets and LA Lakers created a lot of buzz since the fixture was announced but Nikola Jokic took it a step further with his special appearance. The Nuggets center arrived at Ball Arena to square off the first game of the playoff round, wrapping a striped scarf around his neck. His attire made him look similar to “Gru” from the “Despicable Me” series.

The Joker was recently spotted in the trailer of “Despicable Me 4” where he is seeking therapy as everyone around him believes that he’s “Gru”. Jokic says, “I thought I looked really good that day. I put on this beautiful suit… they say I look like Gru.” The Serbian seems to be taking his character quite seriously as he dresses up the same for the rematch against the Lakers.

Sharing his picture on X (formerly Twitter), the Denver franchise captioned it, “Going to play basketball or going to steal the moon?” Bringing his character to the basketball arena, the 6-time All-Star showed that he’s ready to accomplish his goal of leading his side to another series victory against the Lakers.

Jokic has performed phenomenally this season, showing his hunger to strive for another championship title along with the MVP. His greatness has been admired by many even his on-court rival, LeBron James.

LeBron James praises Nikola Jokic greatness

LeBron James, in his 21-season-long career, has come across several talented basketball players so his opinion holds great value. Talking about Nikola Jokic, the Lakers’ ace said, “He’s one of the best players to ever play this game. It’s that simple.”

Underscoring Jokic’s distinctive quality, LeBron said, “The most important thing is he changes the way his teammates think about their own play.” The 4-time champion went ahead to call Jokic a “great one” for his ability to inspire his team.

Earning such praise from the league’s star himself is a treasure. Standing up to the expectation, Jokic added 32 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists to Game 1 against King James and his Lakers side, opening the series with a much-needed 114-103 win. The Nuggets took a 1-0 lead in the play-off series and the Lakers know the tough task ahead when they will have to contend with the Minions’ boss on Monday.