Nikola Jokić: Serbia’s Olympic defeat against the USA was “probably” the biggest defeat of my career | News, results, highlights, stats and gossip

Nikola Jokić and the Serbian team had plenty to celebrate after winning bronze at the 2024 Summer Olympics, but falling one victory short of the gold medal was a tough blow to take.

“It was a good match. Probably the biggest defeat of my career,” Jokić said of Serbia’s semifinal defeat to the United States at Eurohoops. “(We had) a big chance. They finally beat us. People in the stands will probably see it as a normal defeat, but for those who played, it was certainly one of the hardest defeats of our careers.”

Serbia led the United States 76-63 after the fourth quarter and maintained a slight two-point advantage for the last three minutes. However, Stephen Curry put the United States ahead with a three-pointer with 2:24 left, and that was basically it.

The defeat was painful for the Serbs, and the nature of international basketball made the situation even worse. Jokić and his teammates must wait another four years to win Olympic gold.

At this point, the three-time NBA MVP will be 33 years old. Bogdan Bogdanović, who averaged 18.3 points at the Paris Olympics, will also be 35 years old. Once the 2028 Summer Olympics begin, the gap between Serbia and the United States could widen as the former’s best players abandoned their sporting best. Especially in the case of Jokic, it may be a long time before Serbia produces such a generational talent again.

It’s no wonder the six-time All-Star recalls this summer in such meaningful context.