Nikola Jokic might the best offensive player in the history of the NBA thanks to his GOAT passing. This detailed film breakdown & scouting report analyzes how the Nuggets MVP is pushing new boundaries in 2023, ranking his passes in a single game, and illustrating why he might be the best passer to ever play basketball.
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Book: https://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Basketball-Ben-Taylor/dp/1532968175
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Ben Taylor is the author of Thinking Basketball, a Nylon Calculus contributor, creator of the Backpicks Top 40 series & host of the Thinking Basketball podcast.
Stats courtesy:
http://www.pbpstats.com @bballport
https://www.basketball-reference.com
https://stats.nba.com
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Footage in this video is owned by the NBA and its partners. It is intended for critique and education.
Music by Lost (Alter Ego)
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49 Comments
Kuroko's Basketball 🏀👌🏿
incredible video
him and giannis are the most disrespected MVPs ever ! but the easiest to build around
Obviously a much smaller sample size due to his injury early in his 2nd season, but how does Ernie DiGregorio compare to the absolute elite all-time passers?
👏👏💪🙃🤯
Aaron Gordon is Happy that Jokic is his Frontcourt teammate
Biggest IQ in NBA's history. Don´t @ me.
That last pass is soo good it fooled me into thinking he was going to shoot. Even though I know I’m watching a video about his passing.
Am I the only one that gets geeked as soon as the intro music drops? I’m just saying..
Kuroko no basket type passes
Nikola Jokic consistently posts the most touches. But when compared to the other top ranked players in that category he posts the lowest time of possession
Denver gotta surround him with some defenders and they can and will win a chip
He’s best player in the world. Nobody says that
The man is up there with Magic and Bird. He is better than Nash.
The only reason I wouldn't put him ahead of them is that those two are champions.
Made the following comment on a Guardian ‘predictions’ article at the start of the NBA season:
‘Just looking forward to watching Jokic with his main men back around him, especially a fully fit Murray.
Joker is obviously not the most popular or fashionable player – the backlash against him winning MVP over Embiid was, in my opinion, ridiculous. But it is impossible not to admire the big man's passing skills. Last season he had to do everything just to keep the Nuggets afloat – hoping with more help this year, we see the full array of no-look / behind-the-head / through the legs passes that only he possesses.’
I’m so happy to see Thinking Basketball focus on Jokic’s passing (again). I only became interested in the NBA a few years ago, largely because Ben focussed a video on Jokic and I saw it randomly on YouTube. Before that, basketball had been all athleticism – fast dribbles and big dunks (I’m British, so never been exposed to the sport properly), and had never really appealed to me. Seeing that essay on Jokic opened my eyes – and blew my mind – as to the intelligence in the game, and in particular, how Jokic can cut teams to pieces with his intelligence and passing.
So, this is a long-winded way of me saying thanks to Ben and Thinking Basketball for making me aware of Jokic, and turning a sceptic of the sport into a disciple of surely one of the few truly great masters of his craft in any sport in the world right now.
Lmao man u looovvvveee jokic n honestly it's pretty easy to get mesmerized, lots to love but is there ANYONE else in the game (not Luka either) u love watching as much as this?
I'm certain this has been mentioned before on this channel, but the fact that Jokic is such a great shooter also sets up so many high percentages dimes around the rim.
He pulls the opposing center from the basket giving so much space to cutters.
The subtle handoff to Gordon in the paint is one of the more clever passes I've ever seen
Steph Curry left the chat
Jokic is the greatest,fact
Thank you Ben
Another gem on Jokic 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and yours
May God bless you and your love of deep basketball 🏀🧠
Yes he is the best!
2:54 😳😳😳😳
i like watching dominant players who fill up the box score and stats. hence i like watching jokic
3:58 🤷🏿♂️😱😳🤯 this dude…
Y’all argue with ya momma he’s the best passer I’ve ever seen
So basically without him on the court the Nuggets are the last offense in the league while with Jokic on the court they are the best offensive team in the league. That is literally the definition of MVP 😂
I could watch Thinking Basketball make top 10 jokic passes for each game for a whole day tbh
Dragging a bad couch and organization to the playoffs every year…
Brat Jokara igra basket u kraju zbog ortaka. Posle ide na hipodrom
Not sure if he’s the best passer ever but he laps any of the big men and that’s giving everyone their respect he is just truly on a different level
AG loves playing with him I can tell 😂
Maybe he is do a comparison between Magic, White Chocolate Jkid, Lamelo and Lebron.
The person with the least turnover passes is probably the best.
And people say he wasnt worth first overall pick in fantasy
Imagine Giannis on the receiving end of jokic passes
This video does a great job of illustrating that Jokic makes the players around him better with his passing. The stats from this season, the improvement of individual players like Gordon, all of the eye-popping passes – he is clearly giving his teammates more to play with. This is the same sort of thing we saw from Walton, Magic, Bird, Nash, LeBron. Wonderful analysis.
If Magic Johnson is arguably the best offensive player ever, and Jokic is on his level as a passer and a way better scorer, how is the best offensive player ever a discussion?
All the best passers have the same unwavering confidence in their teammates!
I don't care who is the best passer, I just feel fortunate that the conversation can happen!😁
top right jokic
I feel like Boris Diaw is the most underappreciated gifted passer of all time. Stephen Jackson randomly said Boris Diaw is the most skilled player he's every played with and I think that went under everyone's radar. Diaw was a passing highlight reel every game.
Larry Bird was the best passer ever.. Maravich would have been had he not got mixed up over his career… Magic was great but he threw as many easy passes away trying to make them look spectacular..so he is 3rd..Jokic: let's give him time
The Jokic to AG connection is soooo nasty. Over and over and over
When you can make a top 10 passing highlight in a single game says a lot
It might also be interesting if Ben assessed Jokic's defense and how his spatial awareness is compensating for putting up a notable defense, even though he isn't the most athletic big man most people criticize him to be his great flaw to overshadow the offensive juggernaut that he is.
You've gotta give Aaron Gordon a little bit of credit for being one of the best cutters and finishers around. He had a game earlier this year where I counted 8 dunks.
Gotta be the 3 time mvp
mfs still think Tracy was a better Offensive player than Jokic…
I honestly hope he can win a chip at some point. I know a lot of all-time greats don't, just because you need so much to go right and you can't do it alone, but he's definitely worthy on an individual level.
Jokic is the best passer in the NBA. Lebron, Luka, CP3, Haliburton, etc. are not even close.
First off, he has unreal vision. He can see all not only all his teammates but also all his opponents.
Second, knowing where everybody alone will not suffice. He can read slight advantages and disadvantages. He knows a slight opponent turn or even mere inches off position will make them hard to recover. He doesn't even need to put the ball on the floor, hecan just literally standstill, read, and make a pass.
Third, knowing everybody are, knowing advantages and disadvantages means nothing if you can't deliver the pass. His timing and accuracy is one of the best.
On top of tha, he can disguise his passes and he fakes defenders out to enhance the delivery of the ball.
There are players who has great vision but can't deliver the ball as good as Jokic, they know someone is open out there but they don't have the ability or body position to make the pass.
And, there are players who can deliver on time and on target but doesn't have the elite Jokic vision. That's why players can make flashy passes but can't rack up assists. Some players can pass assist in front of them when they drive via lob or drop pass, or kick out on the side shooters but unaware of what is happening behind them.