Nikola Jokic plays through illness for Serbia in FIBA World Cup qualifiers

Nikola Jokic competed in the second round of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers despite battling a recent illness. The Denver Nuggets center received intravenous treatments over several days to remain available for the Serbian national team. Coach Dusan Alimpijevic confirmed Jokic played through the sickness during Serbia's recent victories against Iceland and Italy. In the win against Italy, Jokic contributed eight points, eight rebounds, and one assist across 23 minutes of play. These results improved Serbia's standing to 6-2 in Group J, moving the team closer to World Cup qualification. Jokic may miss the upcoming qualifiers against Lithuania and Italy scheduled for late November due to the start of the 2026-27 NBA season.

• 3:23 AMYahoo Sports — Nikola Jokic Battled Illness While Representing Serbia At FIBA World Cup Qualifiers