Why does Jokic tie his wedding ring to his shoe?

Throughout the NBA playoffs and now the NBA Finals series, you’ve surely noticed Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic both pointing at his ring finger and tying his wedding ring to the shoelaces of his shoes before the game starts. This is a tradition for Jokic, and it’s something he does as a reminder of his family.

Jokic has “something more important than basketball”

When Jokic points at his ring finger, it’s not a taunt like you might think. Though he does so when he’s made a good shot, it’s actually something he shares with his young daughter Ognjena, who will turn two in September. He says it’s a gesture taken from a song that they sing together.

Tying the wedding ring to his shoelace is another act meant as a reminder that he has family at home - and that it’s something “more important than basketball.” It’s a symbol of keeping his family close. Jokic said that a former teammate in Serbia inspired the act.

Jokic married his wife, Natalija, in October 2020, though they were together long before that. The couple started dating in 2012 when they were both still in high school. Shortly after marrying, they welcomed baby Ognjena into the world in September 2021.