As the NBA becomes a more global game with every passing year, we’ve seen international superstars emerge and dominate the game. Two of those superstars are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic. Both players are known as big men that are versatile offensively.
Recently, the two superstars faced off in the Serbia – Greece FIBA World Cup Qualifier game. A video of the two going against one another during overtime ended up going viral. The match ended up in Serbia’s favor, 100-94, despite Giannis Antetokounmpo putting up 40 points for Greece.
Giannis vs. Jokic in OT. 😤🍿
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 25, 2022
There is no doubt that Nikola Jokic showed up big in overtime, and in the video, he is seen scoring in isolation against Giannis Antetokounmpo multiple times. He also hit a key basket on Giannis Antetokounmpo later on in overtime as well, using his signature “Sombor Shuffle” move to create space and get off a jumper.
Another angle of Nikola Jokic’s Sombor Shuffle over Giannis Antetokounmpo 🤯🔥
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2022
There is no doubt that both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic had stellar performances, and the game was riveting to watch for any basketball fan. While the competition and talent level in FIBA isn’t quite the same as in the NBA, all the players are still professionals who play at a high level for their countries. This victory was very important for Serbia, as they were only 1-3 in the qualifying tournament prior to this game.
Both Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely have big years in the NBA next season. They put up insane numbers almost every single season, and it is quite likely that we will see their names together in the MVP discussions for years to come in the future.
As of right now, though, both players will likely focus on helping both their international teams qualify for the World Cup. Only the top-3 teams in their groups will qualify, and hopefully, we will see both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic in the World Cup next year.
