Coy Wire Cracks Up CNN Anchors by Calling Nikola Jokić a 'Runaway Walrus'

CNN sports anchor Coy Wire had his colleagues in stitches Monday morning with his colorful description of Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić, inexplicably comparing the Serbian-born center to a walrus.

Wire appeared on CNN News Central to discuss the Miami Heat's victory over the Nuggets in Game 2 of the NBA Finals, saying that the Miami players showed they "have a lot of heart" with their "epic comeback" after Denver opened up the game with a 33-9 run.

His team might have lost the game, said Wire, but Jokić was "like a 285 pound runaway walrus, rambling his way to 41 points, joining LeBron [James] and Larry Bird as the only players with 500 points, 200 rebounds, and 150 assists in a single post-season."

Wire moved on to a heartwarming story about 13-year-old Jaden Soong, who advanced from the first qualifying round for the upcoming U.S. Open, playing Monday for the chance to be the youngest ever player to make it into the tournament.

"Can we go back to basketball for a second — did you call that one big player, did you call him a runaway walrus?" asked Kate Bolduan as Wire wrapped his report. "Is that what you said?"

"Yeah," Wire replied with a grin, calling Jokić "a fascinating creature" because he is 7 feet, 285 pounds, and has "the ultimate dad bod," but "he cannot be stopped."

"But a walrus?" Bolduan asked. "There are so many other animals, I just, I don't know."

"They don't have feet, first of all," joked Bolduan's co-anchor John Berman.

"Yes, exactly — you’re anatomically incorrect," said Bolduan.

Wire then compared Jokić to a "baby giraffe out there."

"He looks so uncoordinated," Wire added, but he's still "incredible," and a "two-time MVP."

"I don't even know what to say anymore," said Bolduan.

"I am at a loss, I’m at a total loss," said Berman.

"I’m at a loss — except I always love when Coy Wire dazzles us," said Bolduan.

"But how does a walrus shoot a jump shot? I’m just saying," said Berman.

"Like this! Watch him, he looks like a walrus," Wire insisted.

Watch above via CNN.

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Sarah Rumpf joined Mediaite in 2020 and is a Contributing Editor focusing on politics, law, and the media. A native Floridian, Sarah attended the University of Florida, graduating with a double major in Political Science and German, and earned her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from the UF College of Law. Sarah's writing has been featured at National Review, The Daily Beast, Reason, Law & Crime, Independent Journal Review, Texas Monthly, The Capitolist, Breitbart Texas, Townhall, RedState, The Orlando Sentinel, and the Austin-American Statesman, and her political commentary has led to appearances on the BBC, MSNBC, NewsNation, Fox 35 Orlando, Fox 7 Austin, The Young Turks, The Dean Obeidallah Show, and other television, radio, and podcast programs across the globe.