BY: Tony Liebert
Nikola Jokic is the most underrated player in the NBA. If you didn’t know, Jokic is a 7’0” center on the Denver Nuggets, from Sombor, Serbia. This season for the Nuggets, Jokic has averaged 17.4 points, 10 rebounds, and 7.6 assists, while shooting 47.8% from the floor.
Jokic has went so under the radar, due to playing for an average team for the majority of his career. The Nuggets are rarely on national T.V. and when they are they start at 10 o’clock or later most of the time, so Jokic has very rarely been in the spotlight. This season is different, the Denver Nuggets are playing terrific, they are 19-9 on the season and the number one seed in the Western Conference. Much of their success has came from Nikola’s never before seen play-style. So far this season he is averaging the second most assists per game by a center of all time only behind the great Wilt Chamberlain. Jokic is the only center in NBA history to have averaged at least 7 assist and 1 made three pointer per game. Jokic has many facets of his game that make him so unique. I believe that Jokic is one of the best pure big men in the NBA
Play-Style
Nikola Jokic has a play-style that has never been seen before in the NBA. Jokic plays in a slow motion, free flowing style, and just lets the game come to him. Jokic has combination of great post footwork, three point shooting, and passing that has not been seen in the NBA. If you watch Jokic you will never see him force any play, and will play how the game presents itself.
Passing
Great passing vision is something that you rarely see in a big man of Jokic’s stature. For a 7’0” big man to have the passing ability of Jokic is unbelievably useful. His great vision helps the Nuggets play through their best player much easier. When most teams play through a big man they are not able to pass the ball as well as Jokic, therefore the ball movement mostly stops when it reaches the post. When you have a post player like Jokic he is able to set anyone up on his team with his unreal vision. Jokic has made some of the nastiest passes I’ve ever seen.
Post Game
Jokic’s post game may be the best in the NBA. His smooth and silky post moves are near the level of NBA greats Hakeem Olajuwon and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. You may think that statement is preposterous, putting Nikola Jokic in the same discussion with the two greatest post players in NBA history? Yes, Jokic’s post moves are on the same level of these NBA greats. His terrific footwork elevates him to the elite level. His ability to fake defenders out with pump fakes, and his use of angles on the court are next level.
Ball Handling
The Serbian’s ball handling skills are much greater than you normally see from a player his size. His ability to get a rebound and take the ball coast to coast and lead the fast break is not something that is often done by players his size. Jokic also has the ability to catch the ball on the perimeter to and take his defender to the rim with his smooth moves. Jokic’s ball handling is a part of his game that is not often talked about, but it is a large reason for his tremendous success.
Three Point Shooting
Three point shooting by a big man in today’s NBA is very common, but Jokic excels at it. The big man has an incredibly high release point in his jump shot which makes it nearly unblockable. In his career Jokic has shot 35.4% from three in his career. This is in comparison to his fellow three point shooting bigs Karl Anthony-Towns who has shot 38.9% and Kristaps Porzingis who has shot 36.1%. This is not the main part of Jokic’s game but with being successful shooting threes it gives Jokic the ability to have the defense respect his three point shot, and allows him to play off of the perimeter.
Without Jokic I do not see the Denver Nuggets having anywhere near the success they have had this season. Jokic has played great so far in his NBA career, but I think the 23 year old big man has not even tapped into his potential yet. I believe the only big man in the NBA that is better than Nikola Jokic is Anthony Davis. Jokic is the nastiest big man of all time, and the most underrated player in the NBA.
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May 2020
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