Who will be the Nuggets players in the Olympics? The Denver Nuggets may have fallen short of winning back-to-back NBA titles after bowing out in the Western Conference Semi-Finals. As the favored team to represent the Western Conference, the Nuggets were defeated 4-2 by a younger, taller Minnesota Timberwolves team.
While the NBA playoffs were more of a whimper than a roar, hoops fans in Denver and around the world have a second opportunity to enjoy an elite-level basketball event when the Paris Olympics kick off later this summer. While none of the Nuggets will be present on Team USA, two key members will have a great opportunity to stand on the podium.
When Nuggets fans last saw their favorite players, both of Denver’s star players appeared to be playing at a less-than-optimal level. Nikola Jokic played 10 more regular season games and 400 more minutes than last year, while Jamal Murray battled through several nagging injuries during the playoffs.
Although they were knocked out of the playoffs earlier than expected, the upside would be the opportunity to rest and heal before the start of the 2024-25 season. With pride on the line, fans know that the following three Nuggets players scheduled to take to the court in Paris will spend up to two weeks (plus training camp) doing whatever it takes to claim a medal for their country.
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Who will be the Nuggets players in the Olympics?
Nikola Jokic – Serbia
A three-time NBA MVP, Jokic is also by far and away the best player on the Serbian Men’s National Team. However, The Joker doesn’t have to do it on his own as the team also features fellow NBA players, Nikola Jovic (Miami Heat), Bogdan Bogdanovic (Atlanta Hawks), Vasilije Micic, and Aleksej Pokusevski (Charlotte Hornets). Currently ranked fourth in the FIBA World Rankings, the Serbian team is joined in Pool C by South Sudan, USA, and the winner of the Puerto Rico qualifier.
It has been eight years since Jokic has participated in the Olympic Games, helping Serbia capture a silver medal in Rio. After capturing the MVP at the 2016 FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Belgrade at the age of 21 with 17.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists, Jokic, who posted just 6 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists in 24 minutes and the Serbian team would fall to the United States in the final game of the Olympics 96-66.
Serbia’s Nikola Jokic (14) celebrates a score during a men’s basketball game against the United States at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Aug. 12, 2016. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Jamal Murray – Canada
At this time Team Canada can only prepare for playing against Australia as part of their Pool A schedule while they await the winners of the Greece and Spain qualifiers. While two of their opponents are unknown, what Canadian fans do know is that their team is heading into the Olympics as a favorite to reach the podium.
One of the main reasons for this is the inclusion of point guard Jamal Murray on their roster. Whereas Jokic is likely to be joined by four other NBA players, the Canadian team will likely join the United States as the only team that features an entire squad of NBA talent.
In what many hope will be a preview of the Olympic gold medal game, Canada will take on Team USA in an exhibition game on July 10th in Las Vegas. It was a thrilling 127-118 overtime victory over Team USA in the 2023 FIBA World Cup that helped Canada secure their berth in the 2024 Olympics.
After missing out on the 2020 Olympic qualifier due to an ACL injury, Murray will join Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder) to make up one of the best backcourt duos in the Olympics.
While Murray and SGA are the headliners for Team Canada, their strength lies in their depth, something that this team has rarely, if at all, been able to say. Currently sitting seventh in the FIBA World Rankings, Canada looks to capture their second Olympic medal after winning silver in 1936.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) in the first half of Game 7 of an NBA second-round playoff series against the Sunday, May 19, 2024, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
Vlatko Cancar – Slovenia
There are two factors playing against Slovenia making an appearance at the 2024 Olympic Games. First, the team will have to participate in a qualifying tournament in Greece against the host team, Croatia, Dominican Republic, New Zealand, and Egypt and they may have to do it without their best player, Luka Doncic.
To a lesser extent, the Slovenian team, which currently ranks eleventh in the FIBA World Rankings, may also have to play without the 26-year-old Denver Nuggets forward, who is returning from an ACL injury that he suffered prior to last year’s FIBA World Cup event in a warmup game against Greece.
Should Slovenia advance, they would join Canada, Australia and the winner of the Spain qualifier in Pool A. After playing a limited role with the Nuggets off the bench during his first four years, Cancar was looked to as a player who may step into a larger role for the team with the departure of Jeff Green and Bruce Brown. After finishing fourth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the team’s first since parting ways from Yugoslavia.
Iceland vs Slovenia – August 2016
