What NBA Players Are ACTUALLY Saying About Nikola Jokic

It wasn’t that long ago that Jokic needed to be prodded to be more aggressive, that it wasn’t all that unusual for him to take less than 10 shots in a game. Even in his first MVP season, he was reluctant to use the word “dominate” to describe how he picked opponents apart. But while he imposes his will on the game differently than other superstar centers, it is undeniable that he does it. Outside of Golden State, no team has built a system around the particular skills of its franchise player as effectively as Denver. And in much the same way, Jokic’s Nuggets keep opponents on high alert at all times. He is a threat to score from everywhere, and he sees everything. Let’s see what NBA players say about him.
Today’s video will be about what NBA players REALLY think of Nikola Jokic.
Last season, Jokic led the league in touches for the fourth straight year. Unlike virtually everybody else who gets the ball that much, though, he doesn’t hold onto it for long. Jokic calls himself slow and patient, but his moves are quick and decisive. He is a dominant enough scorer to command double-teams, but far too deadly a passer for that strategy to be effective. With their second- and third-best players sidelined, the 2021-22 Nuggets scored 117.3 points per 100 possessions when Jokic was on the court, a mark that would have led the league that season — or any other one. And while some players decline defensively with increased usage, Jokic has gone the other way, becoming more Marc Gasol-like every year. The reigning back-to-back MVP finished eighth in total deflections and consistently baited players into low-percentage shots. In today’s video we will talk about what players around the league have to say about Jokic. But, before we begin, make sure to like the video and subscribe to our channel for more stories around the NBA.
Let’s keep rolling.
1) Kevin Durant
Over the summer of 2017, Kevin Durant asked an interesting question to his followers on Twitter.
“Lets see if y’all can evaluate your favorite player without bringing up any stats or any team achievements. Lets start with uhhh…jokic”
Durant never followed up with the tweet but after a Warriors win over the Nuggets during the following season, a Denver journalist asked him what his impression was of the young Serbian center.
Durant seemed to enjoy this question. He smiled and was really insightful. Jokic had a breakout season that year, and Durant correctly predicted that Jokic would dominate for a long time as he’s currently doing.
2) Draymond Green
As is the case with any superstar talent, there is no stopping Nikola Jokic. Players of his caliber can at times be slowed down, but ultimately they will leave their impact on the game. Despite Draymond Green’s best defensive efforts, Jokic still put up monster numbers in the first round vs the Warriors, prompting Green to share high praise for Denver’s big man after Golden State’s series win.

3) Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid had an incredible season, but Jokic was equally impressive and the Nuggets star won the MVP award for the second consecutive season.
When asked about losing out on the award again, Embiid started by congratulating Jokic. Then he went on a long rant about media members, and the way the MVP voting works:
4) Demarcus Cousins
Denver Nuggets ex-backup center DeMarcus Cousins felt teammate Nikola Jokic and LA Lakers star Russell Westbrook are the two most disrespected league MVPs. Cousins reserved high praise for Jokic following the Nuggets’ season-ending Game 5 loss to the Golden State Warriors, saying

5) Jamal Murray
Jamal Murray has had a front-row seat to Nikola Jokic’s greatness in Denver. And he blasted fans who hated on the big man during a previous season.
Murray makes some excellent points. Just because Jokic doesn’t “go up and dunk between his legs” doesn’t mean he’s not an MVP.
6) Jimmy Butler
There is no doubt that sometimes, incidents and altercations in the NBA get physical due to heated tempers. That has previously happened during last season in a Nuggets-Heat game. During that game, Heat forward Marcus Morris committed a dirty foul on Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. As a result, Nikola Jokic shoved him in the back, which led to Markieff Morris missing a lot of games.
And what is your opinion? Do you think Jokic is the best player in the league? Can he win yet another MVP this year? I would love to hear what you think so please let me know in the comments. Oh, and don’t forget to like the video and subscribe to our channel for more amazing NBA content. Thanks for watching!

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