Nikola Jokic Cemented As Greatest Basketball Player In The World

The Denver Nuggets collected their first-ever NBA title with a 94-89 win over the Miami Heat on Monday evening, completing one of the most dominant runs through the postseason in recent NBA history.

The Nuggets became just the second team in the last 15 years to make it through the postseason with four losses or less, joining the 2017 Golden State Warriors as the only teams to accomplish the feat in that span. Riding the back of two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, star point guard Jamal Murray and a phenomenal supporting cast — including Michael Porter Jr., Bruce Brown, Aaron Gordon and Christian Braun — Denver coasted to the 2023 title, causing whispers of a potential dynasty to spread around the league in the immediate aftermath.

It’s been a long road to get to this point for the Nuggets, which went 47 years without even an NBA Finals appearance, let alone a Larry O’Brien Trophy to call their own. After ending the long drought, Jokic cemented himself as the greatest basketball player to ever don a Nuggets jersey behind one of the greatest individual postseason runs in recent memory.

While the Nuggets ran through the Western Conference and NBA Finals with relative ease, it followed the lead of its silent superstar, with Jokic serving as the primary vessel for Denver’s success. Jokic averaged a near-triple-double across Denver’s run, posting 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game while adding blistering shooting splits of 55/46/80. 

Jokic’s impact isn’t subtle, with the Serbian native leading the NBA Playoffs in points, rebounds and assists — becoming the only player in NBA history to achieve the feat. However, there is a level of subtlety to which Jokic operates, whether it be his seemingly unstoppable high post-up — which leaves avenues for him to shoot over his defender or find an open man — to his off-the-court, couldn’t care less attitude, Jokic isn’t the traditional superstar this league is used to.

For starters, his play isn’t rooted in athleticism, but rather in positioning and making the right play. Jokic is hardly — if ever — out of position, whether that be on offense or defense, and is always certain of where his teammates are on the floor, which is shown by his tremendous passing ability. While Jokic may not ‘wow’ the average viewer with high-flying dunks or ankle-breaking dribble moves, his ability to read the floor and make the right play 99.9% of the time largely stands out.

That’s not to say Jokic hasn’t made highlight-worthy plays. Against the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, Jokic had several rainbow shots find the bottom of the net despite hounding defense from Anthony Davis — and even Davis couldn’t help but crack a smile and a laugh.

Jokic has undoubtedly built up a legacy to this point in his career, and with his title, has elevated to all-time great status. Where does he land on that list? That’s an argument for another time. But, Jokic’s current impact is clear: he is the best basketball player in the world, and it may not be as close as we let ourselves believe.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Denver Nuggets