The feud between Nikola Jokić’s brothers and the Morris twins isn’t cooling down. Years after a heated altercation sparked social media warfare, both sides are ready to settle their differences in the ring. What started as an on-court incident has evolved into a potential boxing match that has NBA fans buzzing.
What Sparked This Years-Long Feud Between the Brothers?
Denver Nuggets superstar Jokić, who is in his third year of a five-year, $276,122,630 contract, has two brothers, Strahinja and Nemanja. They attracted notoriety in 2021 after a Nuggets game against the Miami Heat.
During the fourth quarter of the Nuggets-Heat matchup, Markieff Morris committed a hard foul on Jokić. As Jokić brought the ball up the court and attempted an overhead pass, Morris delivered a physical blow with his left elbow to Jokić’s ribs. Morris then turned and walked away.
In retaliation, Jokić took a few steps and forcefully shoved Morris in the back with his right forearm. Morris crashed to the floor, resulting in a neck and whiplash injury, which sidelined him for over 50 games.
Following the altercation, Morris’ twin brother, Marcus, and Jokić’s brothers had a heated social media battle. Years have passed, and it seems the animosity is still there. The Morris brothers are ready to settle it with their fists.
Why Are the Morris Twins Ready to Fight the Jokić Brothers?
The Morris twins recently appeared on episode 70 of the second season of “The Big Podcast with Shaq.” During the podcast, the topic of Jokić’s brothers came up, and the twins were more than ready to throw hands with them if an opportunity arose.
When podcast co-host Adam Lefkoe admitted he is fearful of one of Jokić’s brothers, Marcus asked why. Lefkoe pointed out it was due to the Serbian national’s massive size.
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” Markieff said. “We big too. We ain’t, I’m 6’10”, 270 pounds. It ain’t like I’m a small guy. I’m bigger than him (Marcus).”
Hearing his confidence, Lefkoe suggested he might be able to arrange a possible fight, to which Marcus replied, “for sure,” while Markieff said, “please, please.”
Shaquille O’Neal mentioned that one of Jokić’s brothers, Nemanja, has competed in MMA. However, Marcus isn’t interested in competing in that sphere, as grappling is involved. He will only do it if it’s inside the squared circle.
While Nemanja has a martial arts background, the oldest brother, Strahinja, is considered the strongest of the Jokić brothers, even drawing comparisons to Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson, who portrayed “The Mountain” in the Game of Thrones television series. Even the Nuggets superstar has admitted it.
The Morris twins say they’re willing to do a boxing match against the Jokic brothers 😳
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall. We big too.” 👀
(🎥 @bigpodwithshaq / https://t.co/xlVhD8nvp2) pic.twitter.com/KsYv5CBzJ4
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 24, 2025
Lefkoe pointed out that they are currently in Las Vegas, widely considered the fight capital of the world, making it the perfect place to make the fight happen.
“I’m taking the Philly boys,” O’Neal said, siding with the Morris brothers in the potential fight. The former NBA MVP stated he won’t set the fight up, but gave the advantage to the twins, citing they are young for the game, as they are 35.
Marcus is now a free agent, having last played for the Cleveland Cavaliers. Meanwhile, Markieff is now with the Los Angeles Lakers, having arrived from the Dallas Mavericks, courtesy of the blockbuster Anthony Davis-Luka Dončić trade.
