TL;DR
- Former NBA coach Stan Van Gundy believes Nikola Jokic is among the NBA's greatest of all time.
- Jokic's stats this season include 29.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game.
- Van Gundy emphasizes Jokic's exceptional basketball skills over traditional accolades like championships.
- Jokic is considered an elite passer and an unstoppable scorer near the basket.
It's safe to say that there's never been a basketball player like Nikola Jokic.
This player is so exceptional that a former NBA coach believes the Denver Nuggets' star center should be considered among the greatest of all time.
The perennial greatest of all time discussion, typically featuring Michael Jordan and LeBron James, could potentially welcome another contender, according to Stan Van Gundy.
"He might be the best player in the history of the NBA," Van Gundy said on a podcast appearance with Zach Lowe, who allowed that Jokic might at least be the best offensive player in league history.
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Those who like counting rings will immediately discount Jokic in this conversation, since he has "only" one NBA title.
But on paper otherwise, there's a case.
Jokic is having a season where he's putting up 29.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 11.1 assists nightly. The 6-foot-11 center also records 1.3 steals per game throughout his career. This year, Jokic's shooting percentages are 62.6% from the field, 43.4% from beyond the arc, and 85.3% from the free-throw line.
Van Gundy's point is about more than numbers, anyway.
He's addressing this long-standing debate by looking beyond what's typically listed on a resume. His focus is on basketball skills.
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At most, there have been only a few players in NBA history who are better passers than Jokic.
Jokic remains largely unstoppable when he aims to score close to the basket, even without exceptional vertical leaping skills.
He has sneaky range, and just the other night, he hit a halfcourt shot before a third-quarter buzzer like it was nothing.
While some criticize Jokic's defense, he's actually a competent team defender and uses his exceptional basketball IQ to generate steals.
Jokic is 30 and has a while to keep adding to his basketball legacy, too.
You likely won't find too many people who agree with Van Gundy now, or maybe ever.
But it's an intriguing way of looking at the argument, for sure.
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