The NBA has no shortage of talent, but everyone agrees that Nikola Jokic is the best player in the league right now.
Heading into the 2023/24 season, the Denver Nuggets star tops Sporting News’ updated player rankings . Jokic is also No. 1 on The Ringer , CBS Sports , and HoopsHype . ESPN ranks him second behind Giannis Antetokounmpo, but the gap between the two stars is “just a few percentage points.”
Jokic is a two-time MVP, five-time All-Star, and five-time All-NBA. He won the NBA championship and Finals MVP last season, a tournament where Jokic and his teammates completely outperformed their opponents.
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Why is Nikola Jokic considered the best player in the NBA?
Short version
Nikola Jokic is one of the best and most complete offensive players the NBA has ever produced. He can easily record a triple-double at 30 points per game. Jokic is an excellent center, has a well-rounded skill set, and is also a top-notch passer.
Jokic isn’t great at defense, but has proven that he can be effective in the right system.
Jokic is already one of the most decorated players of all time. After leading the Nuggets to a championship in 2023, Sporting News ranked him the 19th best player in NBA history , ahead of Jerry West and Dirk Nowitzki but behind Moses Malone and Oscar Robertson.
SEE MORE: All-rounder like Nikola Jokic: Attacking with simple moves but extremely difficult to stop
Longer version
Since becoming an All-Star in 2018/19, Jokic has averaged 23.7 points and 8.1 assists per game while shooting 56.3%. Jokic’s 3-point percentage has fluctuated, but he remains a threat opponents can’t afford to ignore.
At 7’10” and 280 pounds, Jokic has the size advantage over most opponents to play post-up, combined with great ball feel and footwork, the Serbian center is almost unstoppable. The only player in the NBA right now who can do the same thing Jokic has done over the past two seasons is Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid.
Jokic is also an excellent pick-and-roller. While he is not the best at alley ooping, Jokic can be an effective pick-and-pop or mid-range shooter. He also plays with some of the best shooters in the league.
These kind of shots have become Jokic’s trademark:
In the current NBA, no one can one-on-one with Jokic anymore. Defenders will be defeated by his height, while big men are not skillful enough to keep up with the Serbian’s quick movements. Even Anthony Davis or Bam Adebayo, two of the best defensive big men in the NBA, will not be able to slow Jokic down in the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
With such excellent offensive stars, teams often have to send 2-3 players to stop them. But this is useless for Jokic, even counterproductive. Because Jokic is one of the best passers in NBA history. Having multiple players to guard Jokic means leaving his teammates free, and Jokic always finds a way to pass the ball and put his teammates in favorable situations to score.
He often takes 1-2 steps to attract opponents before passing the ball to an open teammate. Even his teammates sometimes can’t keep up with Jokic’s processing speed. He makes very accurate diagonal passes , along with unexpected nutmegs .
Here’s what Jokic does game after game:
Nikola Jokic also doesn’t need as much of the ball to shine as other stars. He makes quick decisions and brings out the best in everyone around him.
On defense, Jokic has some limitations. He’s not a blocker and can’t help the perimeter like other top centers. The Golden State Warriors defeated Jokic and Denver in the 2022 NBA Playoffs by attacking from distance, getting into areas where Jokic couldn’t help his teammates.
However, that strategy is no longer as effective as it should be. Jokic is surrounded by versatile defenders, which helps Jokic maximize his strengths. The Serbian center reads the game very quickly, has a long reach, and just needs to choose the right position to make it difficult for opponents to score. Besides, he always appears in the right place to defend.
Jokic is also a great rebounder. He is a big reason why the Nuggets are among the best teams at limiting their opponents’ scoring opportunities .
Specification version
Nikola Jokic has a 27.9 Efficiency Rating (PER) — a measure of productivity per minute played — second only to Michael Jordan. In 2021/22, Jokic posted the highest single-season PER (32.9) in NBA history, although Embiid is on pace to break that record this season.
Over the past six seasons, only the Bucks have won more games in a season than the Nuggets. Denver has scored 119.9 points per 100 possessions with Jokic on the court. When he’s on the bench, the team’s offensive rating has plummeted to 108.4.
Jokic is also a historically good player in the playoffs. He averages the ninth-highest points (27.5), the 17th-highest rebounds (12.1) and the 19th-highest assists (7.3). No other player in NBA history can match those numbers.
Jokic led the Nuggets to their first Western Conference Finals in 2020. He then continued to be the centerpiece of the Nuggets’ first NBA championship in 2023, averaging 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game.
Nikola Jokic stats and stats
SeasonPointReboundsAssistBlocksStealsFG%2015-1610.07.02.40.61.051.22016-1716.79.84.90.80.857.82017-1818.510.76.10.81.249.92018-1920.110.87.30.71.451.12019-2019.99.77.00.61.252.82020-2126.410.88.30.71.356.62021-2227.113.87.90.91.558.32022-2324.511.89.80.71.363.22023-2425.712.39.10.91.155.9
Nikola Jokic’s Title Statistics
- 5x NBA All-Star
- 3x All-NBA First Team
- 2x All-NBA Second Team
- 2x Most Valuable Player
- 1x NBA Champion
- 1x Finals MVP
- 1x Western Conference Finals MVP
- All-Rookie First Team