In an appearance on a podcast in Serbia, Jokić revealed that he grew to appreciate kafanas at a young age.

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In an appearance on a podcast, Nikola Jokić revealed that he would go to a kafana, a traditional Serbian gathering spot that serves as both a restaurant and a pub, when he was just ten years old.

At around the 28-minute mark of his interview on the X&O’s Chat podcast, on which he was interviewed in Serbian, Jokić spoke about his experience going to a kafana when he was still a child. “I went with my dad to a kafana when I was ten,” he said. “That might sound bad now… Well, I’m grateful for it. Because I’d love for people to behave in a kafana the way my dad behaves in a kafana.”

At kafanas, it’s also typical for local folk music to be played, something that the Denver Nuggets star said he appreciated at a young age. “I learned the songs and how to behave and how to sing,” he continued. “And how to order, how to address the waiter. How to drink. How, if a glass breaks, what we do. … My dad never broke a glass. I’ve never seen him break a glass. I have, I think some moments I’m very emotional. … The crew at the table, that’s the absolute peak of a good night out.”

He said that he’s been to clubs, rock concerts, and other places, but nothing matches up to the community at a kafana. “Probably because that’s how I grew up,” he added. “[It’s] where I come from. Where my dad… I went to those places only because my dad took me.” He also shared that he has a memory of being in a kafana as late as four in the morning when he was younger.

Jokić has made it clear that he loves to enjoy himself when he’s back home in Serbia between seasons. Following the Nuggets’ elimination last year, he was asked about what he planned to do over the summer, and indicated that he had one excellent idea: “The next couple of days is gonna be a lot of beer, probably.”