Nikola Jokic: Basketball’s Unstoppable Genius
No one on the planet is a better basketball player than Nikola Jokic right now. The debate is over, and the evidence is overwhelming. When ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith was asked, “Is Nikola Jokic the best basketball player in the world?” his response was simple: “Duh.” It’s obvious. Jokic’s dominance has reached a level where admiration is not just warranted—it’s inevitable.
Over the past few seasons, Jokic has established himself as one of the most dominant offensive players the NBA has ever seen, but what makes him truly stand out is how effortless his greatness feels. Unlike many superstars who are accused of stat-hunting or forcing moments, Jokic’s control of the game is calm, patient, and never rushed. He doesn’t chase numbers; he simply bends the game to his will.
Basketball at Its Easiest
Jokic’s style raises a provocative question: Has basketball become too easy for the Joker? The answer, when you watch him play, is “maybe.” His composure, vision, and skill make the most complex situations look simple. As a Finals MVP and the engine behind Denver’s first NBA championship, Jokic has reached a point where he seems to be playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers.
Teammates, coaches, and opponents agree. “He’s the best man in the league,” one rival admitted after Denver’s championship run. “That’s why you’re the best in the world.”
The Numbers Behind the Mastery
Look closer at the impact Jokic has made. During the 2023-24 season, he hovered near a triple-double, averaging 25.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, and just over nine assists per game. All this while serving as the undisputed heartbeat of Denver’s offense.
The Nuggets, under Jokic’s direction, have powered their way into the league’s elite. They rank fourth in overall field goal percentage, eighth from three-point range, and commit the fourth fewest turnovers per game over the last two seasons—a direct reflection of Jokic’s brilliance and control over every possession.
The On/Off Impact: Jokic’s Value in Sharp Relief
Jokic’s importance to Denver is impossible to ignore. Over the past three regular seasons, his on/off impact has climbed each year, showing just how much the Nuggets rise and fall with him. In his first MVP campaign, Denver was nearly nine points better per 100 possessions when Jokic was on the floor. The following season, that gap exploded: with Jokic playing, the Nuggets outscored opponents by 8.4 points per 100 possessions and gave up almost eight fewer points defensively—a staggering 16.3-point swing in net rating.
As Denver’s roster matured into a championship-level group with Jamal Murray healthy and key contributors like Aaron Gordon and Michael Porter Jr. thriving, logic suggested Jokic’s individual impact might shrink. Instead, the opposite happened. Jokic posted the highest on/off rating in the entire league, reinforcing a simple truth: no matter how strong the supporting cast becomes, everything still runs through the Joker.
That impact peaked at a staggering 22.9 on/off rating, a number that puts his value into sharp perspective. For comparison, his closest MVP rivals—Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo—combined for a lower figure at 18.9, highlighting just how powerful Jokic’s presence truly is.
The Joker Effect: Elevating Everyone
Jokic’s influence isn’t just about his own numbers. His elite court vision and unmatched basketball intelligence unlock opportunities that most players never see. Jokic consistently stays one move ahead, finding open teammates in moments that appear completely sealed off. Elevating others is his true superpower, and the results are clear.
Aaron Gordon’s efficiency surged after joining Denver, with his field goal percentage immediately rising above 50%—a clear reflection of how Jokic’s unselfish brilliance turns good players into elite contributors. Caldwell-Pope, a nine-year veteran, exceeded 40% shooting from three-point range just once before arriving in Denver. In both years with the Nuggets, he cleared that mark, including a career-best 42.3% from deep during the 2022-23 season.
Jamal Murray, Jokic’s longtime partner, has also thrived alongside him. In the limited 16 games Murray played without Jokic, his production dropped sharply to 16 points, 3.7 rebounds, and four assists per game—well below his career norms. The message is clear: playing next to Nikola Jokic elevates everyone.
The Engine of Winning Basketball
Jokic’s value goes far beyond boosting box scores. His influence directly translates to winning basketball. Under his leadership, the Nuggets have remained among the league’s elite year after year, highlighted by their 2022-23 NBA championship. While Denver deserves credit for building a balanced, well-connected roster, there is little debate about who powers it. Jokic is the engine that lifts the entire group to title-level performance.
When he is on the floor, the Nuggets shoot an impressive 7.4% better than when he sits—a clear sign of how much his presence fuels their offense.
Durability and Mindset: The Hallmarks of a Superstar
Nearly a decade into his NBA career, Jokic has been remarkably durable, playing fewer than 70 games in only one season. That came during the 2022-23 campaign, when Denver had already locked up homecourt advantage for the playoffs, making his limited absence a matter of strategy rather than concern. His time off came earlier than expected, not because of injury, but to ensure he was fully refreshed for the playoffs.
That kind of durability is remarkable for a seven-footer weighing over 280 pounds—a build that usually comes with wear and tear. Yet, Jokic continues to stay healthy and in rhythm season after season.
What stands out just as much as his availability is his mindset on the floor. Jokic genuinely wants his teammates to succeed. When he senses someone has the hot hand, he willingly shifts the offense to spotlight them. Whether it’s Jamal Murray exploding for 40 points in a playoff game or stepping back so young players like Payton Watson can gain confidence, Jokic’s approach stays the same: he is comfortable sacrificing his own scoring, even to the point of attempting only three shots in a game—something you almost never see from a superstar of his stature.
Selflessness and Control: A Rare Perspective
Jokic’s selfless approach shows up clearly in the numbers. During the 2022-23 season, he had 15 games in which he attempted fewer than 10 shots—a rarity for a player of his caliber. Across the entire league, there were only 18 games combined where a player averaging more than 24 points per game took fewer than 10 shots, despite 23 players reaching that scoring mark that season.
The message is clear: when Jokic doesn’t need to attack the rim or dominate possessions, he simply doesn’t force it. Instead, he creates space for his teammates to thrive and opens doors for them to shine at their brightest. Jokic has often credited this mindset to advice from a Serbian coach who told him that a pass makes two people happy, while a basket satisfies only one. When Nikola eats, everyone around him eats too.
Reading the Game: The Joker’s Greatest Strength
Perhaps Jokic’s greatest strength is how aware he is of his surroundings, constantly reading the game and adjusting in real time to whatever the moment demands. If there’s ever uncertainty about which version of Jokic will show up, the answer usually reveals itself in how opponents choose to defend him.
Miami Heat head coach Eric Spoelstra explained it best after Game 2 of the 2023 NBA Finals, when Jokic poured in 41 points against Miami while handing out a modest four assists. Spoelstra called him “an incredible player” and said that over the past two seasons, Jokic has been the best player on the planet.
The idea of simply forcing him to score doesn’t really exist in Denver’s system. The Nuggets run too many actions, too many reads, and too many counters for defenses to stay comfortable. Some teams have tried guarding Jokic one-on-one without sending help, hoping to limit his playmaking, but that strategy often backfires. Over the last two seasons alone, Jokic has torched opponents for 40 points on eight separate occasions, doing it with remarkable efficiency, and even then, it still feels rare to see him truly hunt shots.
Efficiency and Discipline: The Hallmarks of a Genius
Jokic doesn’t take bad shots, even when some of his attempts look awkward or unconventional, because he has mastered turning those angles into points. That discipline shows in his career shooting mark of 55.5%—an elite figure for any player, let alone a high-usage star. He took that efficiency to another level in the 2022-23 season, finishing at an incredible 63.2% from the field, ranking eighth in the entire league.
What makes that number even more remarkable is the context. Of the seven players who shot better, none attempted anywhere near the same volume or difficulty. Jokic alone launched 149 three-pointers that season, while those seven players combined for just 31—a staggering gap that highlights how rare his efficiency truly is. When you factor in his heavy usage, shot volume, and the constant pressure applied by opposing defenses, his dominance becomes even clearer.
The League’s Best Mind
Jokic led the league in player efficiency rating at an astonishing 31.5 while also topping eight other major statistical categories. That level of efficiency is rooted in his extraordinary basketball intelligence, which stands comfortably alongside the greatest minds the game has ever seen. In fact, an argument can be made that Jokic’s awareness and decision-making rank among the best across all professional sports.
His impact doesn’t disappear when the ball leaves his hands either. Jokic’s sheer presence bends defenses, drawing attention and creating open looks that turn into the easiest shots many of his teammates will ever get. With or without the ball, he still conducts Denver’s offense with precision, using movement, positioning, and timing to keep defenders occupied and teammates in rhythm.
The Right Choice, Every Time
Often, Jokic sets up scoring chances before the defense even realizes what’s happening—no matter the situation, whether he ends up shooting, passing, or simply setting a screen. Jokic almost always makes the right offensive choice.
When asked to explain how he decides what to do on the floor, Jokic offered one of the most honest and revealing answers imaginable. He said he doesn’t really know—sometimes he feels open, sometimes aggressive, sometimes the team wants him to shoot more, but he never plans it ahead of time. It just happens naturally. That response perfectly captures his brilliance. Jokic’s greatness lies in his ability to make the most complex reads look simple, almost beginner-level easy.
Unmatched Control and Unique Greatness
Very few players in NBA history can punish defenses the way Jokic does on a nightly basis while making it all appear effortless. That level of control is rare and it’s why comparisons fall short. The league has seen incredible talent across its long history, but no one truly mirrors the Joker.
Yes, there have been big men who were stronger defenders, and yes, others who looked more physically dominant, but none have combined vision, touch, and intelligence in the way Nikola Jokic does. Plenty of big men have been stronger in the paint or even more polished shooters. But no player—especially not a center—has ever matched Jokic’s complete blend of skill, intelligence, and feel for the game.
The Legacy: The Joker’s Era
With every season, Jokic’s legend grows. He is the engine of a championship team, the best player in the world, and the standard by which all others are measured. His combination of skill, mind, and selflessness has changed the way basketball is played and understood.
As the Nuggets continue to contend and Jokic continues to dominate, his place among the all-time greats is secure. He may never be the flashiest, but he is the most effective, the most complete, and, right now, the best basketball player on earth.
