"Nikola Jokić may be one of the most unexpected superstars in NBA history. In a game where most of the best players were highly-touted college stars and drafted with one of the first few selections, it's rare to see a second-round player become a Most Valuable Player Award-winner. Nikola Jokić was born in Sombor, Serbia, on February 19, 1995, where he lived in a small apartment with his parents and two brothers, whom he played basketball with despite being much younger. "Basketball was always in my life," Jokić said in SLAM magazine. "I had two older brothers who played basketball. I fell in love with basketball because of them." Talking about his hometown, Jokić said there were only around 40,000 people. "We have really nice nature," he told SLAM magazine about Sombor. "But I just like the people there. It's like family." Instead of coming to the United States as a teenager to chase his dream of playing basketball , Jokić remained in his native country where he played in the Serbian League. During that time, Jokić was the best player in the league, winning the 2015 ABA League MVP Award as a member of KK Mega Basket (then Mega Leks). Jokić was noted for his rebounding and passing skills, though many professional scouts in the United States felt that his scoring abilities could use some work before he was ready for the next level"--