DeMarcus Cousins reveals the scary part about Nikola Jokic’s dominance with the Denver Nuggets is that basketball isn’t even his top priority

Denver Nuggets center DeMarcus Cousins (4) comes on for center Nikola Jokic (15) in the third quarter against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Ball Arena.

In a revealing podcast appearance, former Denver Nuggets center DeMarcus Cousins offered a rare glimpse into the mindset of two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. While the basketball world already knows Jokic as a generational talent, Cousins shed light on what he believes makes the Nuggets star truly terrifying; not just his stats, but his attitude toward the game itself.

“Bad dude,” Cousins told Straight Game Podcast. “The part that makes me love Jokic as much as I do is more so his personality. If you ever get a chance to just hold a conversation with him and just he tells you a little bit about himself, he’ll let you know how real he really don’t give a f*** about this s***. He doesn’t care at all.”

According to the 34-year-old center, Jokic views basketball as just one of many interests in his life. He explained that Jokic considers the game maybe his third or fourth favorite thing to do. And yet, even without prioritizing the sport, he dominates at the highest level.

“There are games where he’s dropping one of these crazy stat lines… he probably doesn’t even want to be there,” Cousins said. “And that’s the scary part about all of it.”

Cousins and Jokic were teammates in the Nuggets during the 2021–22 NBA season. Their lockers were side by side, which gave Cousins a front-row seat to the reigning MVP’s daily demeanor. He recalled a conversation the two shared after a teammate signed a contract extension. Cousins joked with Jokić about the massive payday that awaited him in his next deal.

But Jokic’s response was unexpected.

“He was like, ‘Cuz, I honestly think I might retire after this contract,’” Cousins said. “I said, ‘And leave $300 million on the table?’ I told him, ‘Sign the contract and just get fat at worst. Don’t gas up on the $300 million, bro.’”

Instead of chasing more accolades or attention, Jokic expressed a desire to go home and live quietly.

“He was like, ‘I just want to go lay out in my valley with my horses.’ And I told him, ‘Those horses are gonna be there, bro. Go get the 300. You can buy more horses.’”

Jokic’s disinterest in fame or material success might be unusual in a league full of high-profile stars, but it is also part of what makes him so effective. The idea that he can casually dismantle teams without even prioritizing the game highlights a rare level of talent. Cousins framed this paradox as what makes Jokic so dangerous—he plays for joy and balance, not legacy.

It’s worth noting that despite this attitude, Jokic’s production remains among the best in NBA history. He is a multiple-time MVP, a Finals MVP, and one of the most consistent triple-double threats the league has ever seen. His basketball IQ, passing, rebounding, and scoring all remain elite. And according to Cousins, he does it all while keeping a relaxed mindset.

That combination of dominant skill and detached perspective is what stuck with Cousins. To him, Jokic is someone who can walk into an arena, dismantle an opposing team, and walk out unfazed—because his heart is just as much with his horses in Serbia as it is on the court.

Miguel La Torre is a lifelong sports junkie and seasoned sports writer whose passion for the game has been with him since childhood. A former soccer player turned dedicated runner, he’s now chasing his dream of completing all seven major world marathons.