In a summer typically dominated by trade rumors, draft picks, and Summer League drama, Nikola Jokić, the NBA’s reigning three-time MVP, decided to rewrite the rules of offseason entertainment. No, he didn’t drop a surprise single or ink a blockbuster deal. Instead, he challenged a high-speed Chinese train to a footrace — and the internet hasn’t been the same since.

While NBA fans were glued to the Summer League finals, where Kon Knueppel and the Hornets took home the title over the Kings, Jokić was halfway across the world engaging in what can only be described as the most bizarre (and brilliant) form of conditioning imaginable. A video surfaced over the weekend showing the Denver Nuggets superstar sprinting alongside a bullet train, and what followed was a social media explosion of memes, admiration, and confusion.

Offseason Goals: Horses, Tractors, and Now… Trains?

Jokić’s love for unorthodox offseason activities is well-documented. Fans are used to seeing the Serbian big man racing horses, farming in the countryside, or floating down rivers with his brothers. But this new twist — racing a machine that can top 200 mph — took things to another level.

Captured on a smartphone by a laughing onlooker, the clip shows Jokić, wearing a casual tracksuit and grinning like a schoolkid, jogging on a platform beside the high-speed train as it begins to depart. For a few seconds, it seems like he’s actually keeping pace — and that illusion alone was enough to ignite the internet.

“He runs like The Flash,” one fan posted on X (formerly Twitter).

“He runs like Mr. Bean,” a Reddit user quipped in reply.

The two sides of the internet collided: those praising his surprising athleticism, and those just happy to be entertained in the dead of summer basketball content.

Why the Race Even Happened: Just Jokić Being Jokić

No one truly knows what inspired the Jokić vs. Train moment — but then again, that’s the magic of Nikola Jokić. The man marches (or trots) to the beat of his own drum. What other NBA superstar would skip flashy yacht parties or celebrity appearances for a literal footrace against a train?

Sources close to the Nuggets say Jokić is “staying loose” during the offseason and has maintained a strict routine of playful but effective physical activity, often mixing in family time, countryside workouts, and unexpected public antics like this one.

“It’s who he is,” said one anonymous team staffer. “You can’t put Jokić in a box. He could show up next week challenging a fighter jet to a sprint and we wouldn’t even flinch.”

Summer League? Nah. Give Me Jokić vs. Machines

With the NBA Summer League wrapping up—congrats again to the Hornets—the attention of hardcore NBA fans shifts to… well, whatever they can get. For many, the games without the league’s biggest stars can feel like basketball lite. That’s why something as unexpected as Jokić’s now-infamous Train Challenge cuts through the noise.

One fan put it best:

“No disrespect to Summer League, but watching Jokic race a train is the content I didn’t know I needed.”

Even major sports networks picked up the viral moment, airing the video in highlight reels alongside actual NBA action. “When Nikola Jokic races a train, you give it airtime,” joked one analyst.

The Result? Let’s Just Say the Train Was… Nervous

So, did Jokić win the race?

Of course not. The train is a high-speed marvel of modern engineering. But that’s not the point. What shocked fans most was how light on his feet the 6’11″, 280-pound MVP looked. While he’s often mocked for his seemingly “lazy” or “awkward” running style, seeing Jokić genuinely sprint — and laugh while doing it — was enough to change some minds.

“Low-key… he’s faster than he looks,” one fan commented.
“Imagine if Jokic trained like Giannis. The league wouldn’t stand a chance,” another posted.

Jokić the Entertainer?

Whether intentional or not, Nikola Jokić has slowly become one of the NBA’s most intriguing personalities. He’s a walking contradiction: stoic on the court, goofy off it; a basketball genius who would rather be racing livestock than filming commercials.

And yet, his off-court moments only enhance his mythos. He’s not interested in being a celebrity. He’s not trying to go viral. He just lives authentically, and that authenticity — racing trains, riding horses, or casually dropping 40-point triple-doubles in the playoffs — keeps fans glued.

What This Means for the Nuggets

Make no mistake: Jokić is still putting in the work. Sources indicate that the Serbian big man remains committed to conditioning and is already working with the Nuggets’ staff in Europe ahead of training camp.

With Jonas Valančiūnas joining as his new backup, and the core of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. intact, Denver is primed to make another title run in 2025–26. And if Jokic’s offseason form — train races included — is any indication, the Joker is coming back stronger, looser, and more dangerous than ever.

Final Thoughts: Let Jokic Be Jokic

In an age of carefully curated branding, Nikola Jokić remains refreshingly unscripted. The Train Race isn’t just a silly video. It’s a reminder of why fans love him: he’s elite on the court and entirely human off it.

So while the basketball world waits for October, you can keep your Summer League.

We’ll be over here, watching the MVP sprint next to a train — and laughing just as hard as he is.