Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets hit up McGillin’s after Sixers loss — and got a ‘good old Philly welcome’ from fans

The Center City bar hosted the former MVP and his teammates, including ex-Villanova star Collin Gillespie, on Tuesday night.

Nikola Jokic with McGillin's bar staff on Tuesday after the Nuggets' loss to the Sixers.Read moreCourtesy of McGillin's

by Gabriela Carroll

Published Jan. 17, 2024, 5:42 p.m. ET

The Denver Nuggets lost a close one to the Sixers on Tuesday night, falling, 126-121, in South Philadelphia.

But the loss didn’t dampen their spirits for too long, as Nikola Jokić and the team took a trip up to McGillin’s, Philadelphia’s oldest continuously-operating pub, in Center City for some postgame drinks.

At around midnight, former Villanova star and current Nuggets guard Collin Gillespie came into the bar, according to manager Rene Rodriguez, asking to push a few tables together for the team.

Jokić and a few other players and assistant coaches came in shortly after. Tuesday night is wing night at McGillin’s, so Jokić and the Nuggets ordered 50 wings and a few Bud Lights. Unfortunately, the bar didn’t have Jokić’s preferred beer, Stella Artois, on tap, Rodriguez said.

A few songs with the word Joker in them played during their visit, including “The Joker” by Steve Miller Band, which Rodriguez said the Nuggets group got a kick out of.

“We definitely had a couple Sixers fans chirp them a little bit, give him the good old Philly welcome, tell them how [Joel] Embiid deserves MVP and stuff,” Rodriguez said. “But honestly everyone was just happy to see him. He was really, really kind and took a picture with everybody.”

The whole Nuggets group came behind the bar to take photos with the staff and left a generous tip, according to a McGillin’s spokesperson.

“It was pretty slow, quiet night,” Rodriguez said. “Everyone in the bar knew exactly who he was, but thankfully, he was left alone enough that he could still have a good time.”

Jokić is just the latest athlete to visit McGillin’s, which has hosted a number of Philadelphia athletes over the years, including Donovan McNabb and Jason Kelce.

“It’s just a really popular bar — really cheap drinks — and we get a lot of people in here just for that,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a very good vibe.”