Nikola Jokic on incident with Suns owner Mat Ishbia "The fan put a hand on me first" 

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I like how Jokic refused to call him the owner of the Suns even though he knew who he was, very smart man.

I got so much damn respect for this dude. He really doesn’t back down from shit

If you’re sitting court side you’re fan. Man I love this guy. Perfect answers. Great player. The league better not suspend him.

I gained so much respect for Nikola Jokic following this presser, as he proved to the world he will never fold under questioning!

Suns fan here and I 100% agree with Jokic on this one

JOKIC is highly intelligent. Even in this discussion he is accurately correct. MVP

"Why did you choose to retrieve the ball?" What kind of stupid question was that? The owner literally TUCKED the ball until his player got up

Rewatching the play. Ball goes out of bounds. No timeout. Ref clearly signals Nuggets ball. Jokic does what he’s done a million times try to put the ball back in play quickly and a FAN stops him from doing that and the fan isn’t tossed?!? Really?!?

"why did you retrieve the ball" jesus the IQ of these reporters is so sad, these are the people making stories and narratives about players let that sink in

That reporter asking why did you go retrieve the ball I love Jokic answer “WHAT”.

JOKIC is without a doubt HIGH IQ, very few ppl can defend that well

Very smart answer by Jokic, proving why hes the back to back MVP. Shoulda been 3 time MVP.

1:46 this gotta be the 2nd greatest "what" in NBA history

I realized I'd never heard Jokic speak before. He sounds like a old wise sage

That tech to Jokic is called 'Special privilege" . The ref who called that tech should be investigated

Just shows the disrespect NBA owners have for all the players. Leave the ball alone. Leave the players alone.

That last question had me cry-laughing through the whole house 😂

Jokic showing more class than a literal owner of a team

Reporter: “Why did you take it upon yourself to retrieve the ball?” Joker: what?!

If you don’t already like this guy, this whole interview just showcases how people will do what they can to influence a game and he just shut them down.

Suspending Nikola Jokic would quite literally would be the worst decision the NBA could make

1:45 love Jokic's response 😂😊

I thought he was gonna walk out on the last question, good on him for being a professional. He did nothing wrong imo, that fan should’ve been ejected.

I'll admit, tremendous acting skills by the suns owner for flopping. He should go to new york to perform on broadway

Jokic is 100% right, both fans and players need to be protected, just because those players, makes millions doesn't give the fans rights to do what they want

Jokic is smart, nicely handled. 👍

jokic is my new favorite player

By holding the ball when Denver had 5 on 4 advantage, the owner of the Phoenix Suns prevented Jokic from passing the ball across full court which he often does very well and would likely have resulted in Denver scoring 2 or 3 points. Considering that the score turned out to be Phoenix leading by 3 points 45 seconds before the end, it is fair to say that this move by the owner directly affected the outcome of this game. He should be at least banned from attending games till the end of this playoffs. And NBA should be ashamed of protecting him.

They better not ban him. Just give the ball back to the player and let ‘em play. This would be bs if he got banned

Jokic was literally just trying to get the damn ball 💀 it's the playoffs

As a wolves fan, Jokic different in court his unique styles & he stood his ground and defended himself 💪🏽

Jokic is right ! If they gonna let owners to mess with the game, who is stopping Denver owner doing the same ? Just stupid. Fans are not watching NBA to see some businessman to mess with the game. They’re trying to watch Jokic, Durant and Booker.

If every court side fan can hold the ball and stops a fastbreak, not giving the ball back asap then NBA is becoming a joke. The question is, will there be double standard because he is an owner?

"He's a fan. I thought the league was suppose to protect us?" Smart Jokic. Real smart 💯

Jokic doesn't give a SH!t about who that "fan" is supposed to be, rightfully so, well done mate! But then going through these hilarious subzero stupid questions from the press, all due respect for staying calm and composed during the press conference!

Good on him for standing his ground and standing up for himself.

Really well said by Jokic. If the owner issues an apology I would respect him. Otherwise not.

Jus cause he’s the owner doesn’t mean he can hold the ball like that. Good Job Jokic

The ball was in play. It did not need to pass through the referee's hands. That fan, clutching the ball until his player was back on the court, interfered with the outcome of the game. It cost the Nuggets one point and possibly another 4 points, depending on the shot and any foul in the act of shooting at the other end. 1 - 5 points would have changed the game.

Jokic spoke facts.

to be fair the owner did flop and shown on camera laughing about it a couple seconds later

This is a true MVP player. I couldn't care less about DENVER but I am a HUGE JOKIC fan. I simply LOVE his intelligence.

Jokic is right...anyone outside the court line is not allowed to hold or do any with ball....lol league should fine the owner fr keeping ball😂

Nuggets vs suns has been one of the fun playoff series so far. Please don’t suspend jokic. Let them play!

I don't understand how the fan wasn't ejected. Yeah, I get that he's the Suns owner, but he's literally HUGGING the ball and refusing to let it go when Jokic went to retrieve it. He's DELIBERATELY interfering with the game. How is that permitted? I seem to recall the Warriors minority owner receiving a full season suspension for shoving Kyle Lowry during the NBA Finals... yet this Suns owner deliberately interferes with the game and doesn't even get ejected from the game? Seriously?

My new favorite player Joker is hilarious

Phoenix owner should be fined BIG. He held the ball to influence the game when Denver had a 5 on 4 advantage.

There are people here who actually put the blame on Jokic?! Really?!

Nikola did nothing wrong, he went for a smart play to take advantage of the 5 on 4 situation on the inbounds. Also the owner flopped he should be fined for delay of game and flopping LOL

What awful questions..

Love it Jokic -Lakers fan here

now after today, I like Jokic much more than before 😂

I thought he was about to say a no body to suns owner 😂😂

This is a nothing burger. Phoenix suns owner was holding the ball like a running back.

Jokic’s brothers, where are you? We might need some help here. 😂

Jokic is right. Regardless of his position, owner or not, he cannot hold the ball like that. He has no obligation to do so.

JOKER STRAIGHT UP EXPOSED THE LEAGUE FOR THAT IM DYING LMAO. But that was very unprofessional of the Suns Owner

Never knew a fan is allowed to steal the ball, refuse to get it back...and that a player who tries to take it will be punished.

Jokic making reporters look like dummies

They should ban that fan from live watching any NBA games for the next 10 years.

well said

Jokic Attorney at LAW 😂

New Jokic fan... nice job nba you rig everything. You couldn't rig this.

You absolutely right that's the crazy part no fan can just hold a basketball

I totally agree with jokic here, Okogie was on the ground, Nuggets had a fast break opportunity with a 4 on 5, there was no stoppage to the ball game. Why on earth did Matt Ishbia not give the ball to Jokic? The TF on Jokic is fair but Matt should've been reprimanded as well. The other dude literally tapped Jokic on the arm and got thrown out of the arena.

The journalists try to trap him but he crushed them all.😂

1:46 LOL. I love Joker's reaction to the stupid question.

The way this video ended is comedic genius lmao

1000% on Jokic's side here. Those questions are absurd! Man's being treated like a perpetrator, when he was simply getting the ball so he could continue playing the game.. This is nonsense. *The Sun's "fan" walked up to Jokic and the Joker showed him back to his seat. Good man 👍*

Yeah, fans can’t hold the ball. They have to throw it back. And if a player is trying to retrieve from you, you’re supposed to give it back. Owner of the Suns or not, he was wrong for putting his hands on Jokic and should’ve been kicked out, but that’s not going to happen because he owns the place 🙄

Love his reply

his IQ is crazy, '' because okogie was on the ground, so we had an advantage 5-4"

I like how they try to intimidate him saying that he pushed a boner and he's like I don't do a f***

Well freaking said Nikola! Well done!!! Suns owner has put his hand on Nikola which he had no right to do... he acted in self-defense, and that is all... hope NBA league reviews the clip and sees how wrong it was from Suns owner to hold the ball which he had no right to do... and also to put his hands on Jokic, not good... what will NBA do about it? NOTHING...

This was just an incident where Jokic had fans trying to step in to interfere. Things happen when people start touching you and disrespecting you as a player

Dude was holding to ball to slow up the game that was BS

I swear they purposely ask these stupid questions to become meme moments.

Suns fans want Jokic suspended so they can win 😂

The last 5 seconds declares Joker a robot!!

I love that he doesn't refer to him as the Suns owner, he's "The Fan" to him 😂

Go real MVP the peoples MVP n jokic

Joker is the 🐐That was straight up gangster shit! 🤣

I love that Jokic doesn’t care who that fan is. Good man!

WHAT! a Legend! Joker

I side with Jokic. He shouldn't have received a technical foul. It's clear that Ishbia held onto the ball and wouldn't give it to Jokic and put his hands on him. Not a fan of the Nuggets, but the referees need to draw the line on the conduct of the fans - even if it's an owner. Doesn't matter.

The owner should be thrown out

Love this guy after seeing this video….Jokic fan, now! 😂

Got to appreciate the honesty

He is a fan . Doesn't matter that he own's the team .

Suspend the owner

The suns owner out here trying to get calls from the stands

*Jokic: I'm just getting the ball, why so serious?* -My man goated the Joker character. XD

3d chess being played here by jokic.

That owner lucky is he forgetting joker is Serbian them dudes different and ooo he’s 7ft

I love how He talks.

As an American/ great-grandfather/deacon/educator/coach/security officer, Coach Rob, is MIGHTY DAMM PROUD OF THE ACTIONS OF JOKIC! 🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🏀🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲🇺🇲

I actually love an irritated Nikola... he speaks volumes in that emotion!

Worst behavior from the owner

Jokic the man