A Car Ride With Felipe Eichenberger Pushed Nuggets Star Nikola Jokic Towards His Weight Loss Journey
Over the past ten years, Nikola Jokic has undergone a significant shift. The Denver Nuggets great has always been overweight, but his diet and exercise have helped him be in better condition and rule the game. However, the secret to what he is now is a car ride.
A Car Ride With Felipe Eichenberger Was The Motivation Behind Nikola Jokic’s Weight Loss Journey
Jokic had been urged for years by coaches, business leaders, and media pundits that he needed to improve his physical fitness if he wanted to be successful in the NBA. But this time, it was inside.
Felipe Eichenberger, the strength and conditioning coach for the Denver Nuggets, had his pick of lengthy vehicle trips to the airport with star center Nikola Jokic.
Since Nikola Jokic is different, his workout music choice is…different 🎵😅
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) June 4, 2023
In the four years that they had spent working together, the two had become close. Each offseason, Eichenberger spent a month with Jokic in the big man’s native Serbia. Jokic attended the birth of Eichenberger’s daughter as well as all of her subsequent birthday celebrations. They made buddies in this manner!
Now Nikola Jokic needed encouragement!
Nikola Jokic working on his left-handed jumper to end practice. pic.twitter.com/3c0CLoUl1w
— Harrison Wind (@HarrisonWind) June 3, 2023
Jokic finally needed to hear this. In this league, you may win MVP, Eichenberger remarked.
Jokic has recently received his first All-Star team selection. Early in February, he had received a Player of the Week honor. In their division, the Nuggets were in first place. The whole world was moving up.
Noticeable weight loss for #Nuggets C Nikola Jokic. I wonder how it affects them in the post and his game https://t.co/Cd15kzPitZ
— Justin Time Sports (@JTIMESPORTS) June 11, 2020
The memory makes Eichenberger grin as she explains, “He got mad at me.” He became rather heated. That’s not the kind of player I am, he responds. I’m not selfish; I pass more often than I score.'”
Eichenberger was aware that he may irritate someone going into the conversation. The purpose was that, though. And it was at least a 25-mile journey to the Denver airport. He then went deeper.
Nikola Jokic credits his improved performance to weight loss, diet | NBA on ESPN pic.twitter.com/XPg0lA2PDo
— Healthy Fountain (@healfountain) January 31, 2022
“I knew he wanted to work,” Eichenberger says. “He was always willing to work.”
Instead of attempting to decipher the self-consciousness that the MVP chatter was causing, Eichenberger outlined a strategy for Jokic to change his physique.
Jokic pondered the question briefly before responding.
How does Nikola Jokić stop doing physical activity every single day and then lose weight? Nothing makes sense in 2020. pic.twitter.com/1GbOv6H4fY
— Josh Lyons (@TheLyons_Den) April 21, 2020
“OK,” he said. “Let’s do it.”
The Denver Nuggets star had the chance to get in shape in 2020 since the NBA postponed the season for a few months.
The Nuggets had serious concerns about Jokic’s weight and physical condition going into the season because of his stated weight of 284 pounds. He did, however, look fantastic after losing 20 to 25 pounds while on vacation.
If you gained weight during quarantine, it's because Nikola Jokic gave you his weight. pic.twitter.com/6nnTtAMG1x
— Dan King (@Kinger_DC) June 11, 2020
Jokic scored 19.9 points per game on average throughout the regular season. But in the playoffs, he significantly raised his scoring average, raising it to 24.4 points.
Naturally, Jokic’s contributions to the Nuggets’ successful postseason run. They made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals before being defeated in five games by the Los Angeles Lakers.
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