The Nikola Jokic argument has shifted from "is he top 5?" to "is he the best player in basketball?" The answer is yes, and the advanced stats make it overwhelming.
The numbers (Source: Basketball Reference, Cleaning the Glass):
- Three-time MVP (2021, 2022, 2024). Source: NBA award history.
- Career PER: among the highest in NBA history
- BPM (Box Plus/Minus): The highest single-season BPM ever recorded was by Jokic.
- On/Off splits: Denver is consistently a championship-caliber team with Jokic on the court and a lottery team with him off it. Source: Cleaning the Glass.
Why people underrate him:
- He does not look like a superstar. No explosive athleticism. No highlight dunks. He is a 6'11" Serbian who looks like he should be running a bakery. The aesthetic bias against him is real.
- Small market. Denver is not New York or Los Angeles. His games are often not nationally televised.
- Passing savant. His best skill (passing) is not valued by casual fans the way scoring is. Jokic makes teammates better in a way that does not show up on Instagram highlights.
The comparison to other "best in the world" candidates:
- Giannis: More athletic, worse shooting, similar impact but Jokic's passing gives him the edge in team building.
- Luka: Elite scorer and creator but defensive limitations put him behind Jokic in overall impact.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: The rising challenger. His two-way game is elite but he has not reached Jokic's peak yet.
Sources:
- Basketball Reference — career statistics and advanced metrics
- Cleaning the Glass — on/off data
- NBA.com — award history
- ESPN — MVP voting records
Change my mind.
SGA is coming for that number 1 spot within 2 years. His defensive improvement has been insane and his scoring is already Jokic-level.