In time to witness his favorite horses race in his birthplace, Nikola Jokic made his way back to Serbia.

Jokic visited his hometown of Sombor on Sunday to indulge his passion for horse racing, less than a week after leading the Denver Nuggets to their first NBA title.

Jokic’s family-owned horses competed in harness races, drawing thousands of spectators to the nearby horse racing track. Numerous others wore Jokic-emblazoned T-shirts, some of which said “Sombor, the Town of Champions” and “Be the Next Champion.”

Jokic wore his No. 15 Nuggets jersey next to galloping horses on a billboard that read, “Welcome Home MVP.”

After attending the NBA championship party in Denver on Thursday, Jokic was worried about getting home in time for Sunday’s races. In order to arrive on time, he joked that he would ask Josh Kroenke, the president of the Nuggets, to give him the team jet.

The day at the Sombor Hippodrome was fantastic. People were waiting in huge queues to join in the celebratory atmosphere, which included beer and barbecue booths.

Local reporters trailed behind Jokic when he arrived late at the racecourse. He was renowned for his reserved and straightforward manner, and when he arrived at the track, he refused to speak to reporters.

Occasionally, he would go into the grandstand with friends and family to see every race his family’s stable participated in before vanishing from sight. He had his father, brother, wife, daughter, and friends with him.

The audience exploded in happiness and joy when Jokic first emerged. He was wearing a polo shirt that read “Dream Catcher,” the name of the first horse he had bought years prior.

Branislav, his father, asserted that Jokic refused to respond to inquiries from the media.

“I’ve had enough publicity in the last few days, Dad,” Branislav Jokic recalled. “And I think he’s real.”

During his childhood, Jokic became quite interested in horses and horse racing, which nearly distracted him from basketball, according to his father.

On Monday, Denver defeated the Miami Heat 94-89 to win the NBA title. Jokic won the Finals MVP award with 28 points and 16 rebounds.

Jokic, who his supporters affectionately call the Joker, just finished an incredible playoffs run in which he became the first player to lead the league in assists (190), rebounds (269), and total points (600) in the same postseason.