If you’re truly lucky in sports, you get a teammate like Aaron Gordon. If you’re truly lucky in life, you’ve got a friend like Mr. Nugget. If you’re truly blessed, maybe you’ve got a handful.
Serbian journo/podcaster Marko Ljubomirovic perked up The Grading The Week gang’s ears on Friday when he went to the social-network-that-should-still-be-named-Twitter and posted a picture of Gordon, Nuggets forward, cool dude, free spirit and Man of the People, and noted that the NBA champ and newly-minted Denver legend had just arrived by plane to Serbia. Which we can only fathom is for a random visit to you-know-who.
Ljubomirovic sent a follow-up “X” — sorry, Mr. Musk, that logo looks like something you’d find at the bottom of a 1982 newspaper ad for a very, very naughty adult film — to put Gordon’s appearance in context: There are “trotting races” slated for the Sombor Hippodrome Sunday afternoon across the pond.
The Nuggets are Nikola Jokic’s job. Joker’s horses are his passion. And one of his teammates just zipped halfway around the globe in order to cheer them on? How freaking cool is that?
Gordon in Serbia — A
A true friend helps you move. A true friend gives you a lift so you can spare the Uber fare. Or they’ll pay for the Uber to get you. A true friend will walk through Hades in a gasoline suit to babysit your toddler while you’ve gotta run to DIA to pick up an in-law. A true friend drops four grand to watch your favorite thing in the whole wide world with you — in person.
(The GTW bean-counters checked the Google fares, and a 1-stop-or-less flight from Denver to Belgrade as of mid-day Friday for a Saturday-Tuesday visit would put you out at least $4,285, round-trip.)
It’s not the first time Mr. Nugget has winged his way to Eastern Europe to rock Joker’s party. Last September, Gordon reportedly brought his mom with him to Prague to watch Jokic and the Serbian basketball team hoop it up at the EuroBasket tournament.
AG shoulda been an All-Star this past winter. The guy’s not just an All-Star teammate. He’s a Hall-of-Fame friend. And those are the real MVPs in life, once it’s all said and done.
Albert Okwuegbunam — D
Speaking of friends, sounds as if our pal Albert O could use a few in the Broncos front office right about now.
Funny things can happen, even in a shortened NFL preseason, but we can’t blame Okwuegbunam, Denver’s athletic but mercurial young tight end, if the depth chart released before Friday night’s exhibition opener in Arizona sapped what was left of his sense of humor.
New coach Sean Payton made a point to note that any roster spot listed is still fluid this early in August. But out of five tight ends, Albert O checked in at No. 5. He was even listed behind Nate Adkins, an undrafted free agent. Okwuegbunam is a 2020 fourth-round draft pick, but he’s not Payton or George Paton’s fourth-round draft pick. When cuts come around, those middle-round types who, after two to three seasons, either can’t stay on the field or can’t stay out of the doghouse are usually the ones who wind up being first out the door.
LeBron James having to watch Joker get his ring — A
Oct. 24 can’t get here fast enough. Good on the NBA for making Lakers at Nuggets part of Opening Night ’23-24. And good on the NBA for making LeBron have to watch, up close, as Jokic raises his first championship banner to the rafters at Ball Arena. Look at it this way, King James: They couldn’t have done this without you.
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