It is always very good to see when athletes are interested in other sports. In this particular case, we have one of the oldest sports in the world that has been around us for hundreds of years.
Horse racing has always been one of the most prestigious and exciting sports in the world, but its popularity in the basketball community isn’t that significant. Even though horse racing is deeply embedded in the United States culture, there aren’t many basketball players interested or involved in any way with the sport of kings.
However, some basketball players separated from the crowd and got interested in this incredible sport.
Nikola Jokic
Here we have the Serbian charismatic character who is always smiling and happy. This earned him the nickname ‘Joker’ in the NBA space. Actually, you might even have seen Jokic recently receive his second MVP award in a horse stable.
Nikola Jokic was drafted in 2014 as the 41st overall pick and became the lowest-picked player to win the MVP title in the history of the NBA. His incredible defense skills and passing are out of this world, and he is a true golden nugget for the Denver Nuggets.
Growing up in Serbia with two older brothers, he always played basketball, which is why he fell in love with the sport and continued to pursue his passion. However, at some point in his life, he also was quite interested in horse racing.
He can be seen enjoying himself around horses, especially when he goes back to Serbia on vacation. He fell in love with these beautiful creatures due to their elegance and appearance. At around 15 years old, he was taking care of horses for his family stable by riding them, cleaning them, and feeding them.
This is where his passion for horse racing was born, but he never chased his horse racing dream professionally. As of now, Nikola Jokic loves horse racing as a hobby and tries to watch some of the most popular races.
Rex Chapman
Here we have an American former professional basketball player that is now an influencer on social media. Chapman was a high school phenom in Kentucky, winning a couple of awards for his play. He spend most of his professional career playing for the Phoenix Suns after his genes decided that basketball isn’t the perfect sport for him.
Growing up in Kentucky, the home of the most prestigious horse race in the world – The Kentucky Derby, it is not surprising that at some point in his life, he started gravitating toward horse racing.
He is one of the biggest horse racing fans that played basketball professionally; what better way to spend your hard-earned money than getting involved in the horse racing industry.
But his passion goes beyond owning a horse. He got so involved in the horse racing world that he has a horse track named in his honor at Santa Anita. So, do not be surprised to see Chapman in the stands at one of TwinSpires Triple Crown races.
Tony Parker
Tony Parker is another former NBA star who got interested in horse racing at the end of his professional NBA career. Tony Parker spent almost 20 years playing basketball professionally after finishing his career playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Throughout his career, he has won many awards, including four NBA championships, one NBA finals MVP, six NBA All-Star, and much more.
However, in the late days of his NBA career, he decided to switch back to his love for horses that lived in his heart as a childhood memory.
He quickly became a professional racehorse owner and wanted to participate in some of the biggest racing events in the world. He has also opened a stable called Infinity Nine Horses, and it is quite popular on social media.
Tony Parker even went stated he wanted to film his entire horse racing journey and wrap it in the form of a documentary called The Big Bet.
He is a big horse racing enthusiast and a true ambassador of the sport by trying hard to modernize it and make it more attractive for the average person.
