The world of elite professional sports, particularly the hyper-sensory ecosystem of the NBA, is structured around a crucial, yet deeply paradoxical premise: once an athlete achieves the absolute zenith of their potential, the spectacular ceases to be praiseworthy; it becomes expected. This phenomenon, which plagues only the truly generational talents, is currently playing out with stunning clarity around the reigning champion and undisputed generational talent, Nikola Jokic.

For those operating at the highest level of human endeavor, the maintenance of excellence is often judged more harshly than its initial achievement. We have seen this narrative arc before. Consider Michael Jordan, who for years set the scoring benchmark so high that thirty points per game became the norm. When, late in his career, his scoring average trended even slightly southward of that mythical mark, whispers began: Is Jordan getting old? Has he lost a step? The cruel irony was that he was still the league’s scoring champion in those years, yet the expectation he had created was so lofty that anything less than his historical peak felt like a decline.

The same lens of impossible expectation has been applied to other modern legends. Look at Stephen Curry, one of the greatest—perhaps the greatest—shooter in history. When he endured a few rare off-nights, failing to connect on a single three-point attempt, the immediate reaction was not appreciation for his overall game, but premature declarations of decline: Is he past his prime? Is he still the same Steph? The collective memory of the public is astonishingly short, preferring the drama of decline to the quiet consistency of continued brilliance.

Today, this historical pattern of “greatness-fatigue” has found its perfect modern victim: Nikola Jokic.

The Problem of Effortless Excellence

On this channel, we have consistently highlighted the brilliance of Jokic, but certain events necessitate a deeper discussion because the narrative surrounding him has become, quite frankly, absurd. To many, especially in the broader media ecosystem and among content creators focused on the next big highlight, what Jokic is doing is merely “par for the course.” When a player is this profoundly gifted, the phenomenal becomes the accepted nightly standard. But when you look closely at the facts and the figures—especially this early in the season—you realize what he is accomplishing is truly phenomenal, a campaign that, for any other player, would be generating universal MVP buzz.

Yet, despite his undeniable statistical output and his team’s success, Jokic currently finds himself inexplicably ranked third on early MVP ladders according to major networks and league-affiliated websites. While it is undeniably early, and these rankings will shift as the season evens out, the initial positioning reveals a telling bias. The media’s fascination is currently directed toward the more explosive, hyper-athletic, and historically less consistent stars, leaving Jokic to simply rack up wins and history-making statistics in the shadows.

It is crucial to give credit where it is due. Giannis Antetokounmpo, in particular, is undeniably the most must-watch player in the league right now. The sheer physicality and highlights he generates nightly are breathtaking. Clips of him absorbing hard fouls—like the one where an opponent attempted to essentially tackle him—and still driving through it, evoke the sheer gravitational force of a young Shaquille O’Neal. He is an irresistible force, and if his Milwaukee Bucks go “nuclear,” achieving a win total far exceeding expectations—say, northward of 45 to 50 victories—he would present a compelling, no-brainer MVP case, largely because of the lower expectations surrounding his team’s supporting cast.

Then there is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA), playing what can only be described as phenomenal basketball. However, Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are in a completely different contextual boat. The Nuggets are the defending champions. They are, crucially, incorporating new pieces into their rotation and navigating subtle but significant coaching adjustments from the previous season, requiring a higher degree of foundational stability from their centerpiece. In contrast, while SGA’s greatness is undeniable, he is returning to lead a team that already has its championship core—a proven nucleus. It is inherently harder for the media to bestow the highest individual props when the team is merely bringing back a winning formula.

This leaves the spotlight—the rightful spotlight—to fall upon Nikola Jokic.

The Statistical Anomaly

What Jokic is achieving so far this season should be the front-page story of every sports desk. He is currently averaging a triple-double. Not just flirting with it, not occasionally achieving it, but maintaining the monstrous statistical average through the opening stretch of the season, and making it look, in the most insulting sense of the word, simple. There was a recent game where he secured a triple-double early in the third quarter, a feat that would be the career highlight for many professionals, yet for Jokic, it was merely a prerequisite for building upon his team’s eventual dominant victory.

The numbers for the Denver Nuggets reinforce the idea that Jokic’s performance is not isolated brilliance, but the engine of collective excellence. The team’s winning margin currently sits at an elite 13.2 points, placing them only marginally behind the league leaders. They sit third in a fiercely competitive Western Conference. This is not a star putting up empty calories; this is a true team leader driving a championship contender.

Yet, a pervasive narrative has crept into public discourse: that Jokic has fallen off. Where does this incredible falsehood originate? It is often rooted in the single, most simplistic and yet most culturally dominant metric in basketball: points per game (PPG).

Jokic is currently averaging around 25 points per contest. In isolation, 25 points is an extraordinary number. But in the current, offensively explosive NBA environment, where the media’s attention is disproportionately focused on players hitting the 30+ mark, 25 PPG is sometimes viewed as “below average” for a top-tier MVP candidate.

This highlights the core of the media’s statistical illiteracy when it comes to Jokic. He is the ultimate example of a player whose overall value vastly outstrips his raw scoring total. As we discussed earlier, what he does on a nightly basis, while looking ordinary for him, would be deemed extraordinary for literally any other player. His consistency makes the spectacular seem routine.

To truly appreciate his value, one must look beyond the basic box score. We must examine the metrics that measure overall impact and effectiveness—the advanced analytics where Jokic not only dominates but reigns supreme.

He currently leads the league in both rebounds per game and assists per game—a mind-boggling combination for a player of his size and position, essentially functioning as the team’s center and its primary point guard simultaneously. Furthermore, he is averaging more steals this season than he did last year, indicating an increased and more effective effort on the defensive end. While he may not be a renowned defensive stalwart, his activity, positioning, and hands are demonstrably improving.

But the real evidence of his MVP case lies within the core advanced metrics. Jokic runs the full gamut of basketball dominance, leading the league in:

Box Plus/Minus (BPM): A measure of a player’s contribution to the team’s box score compared to a league-average player.
Win Shares (WS): An estimate of the number of wins contributed by a player.
Value Over Replacement Player (VORP): A box-score estimate of the points per 100 team possessions that a player contributes above a replacement-level player.

The only key metrics where he doesn’t top the charts are Player Efficiency Rating (PER) and Defensive Win Shares (DWS)—which, while notable, do not diminish the overwhelming evidence provided by his leadership in every other major comprehensive statistic. This level of early-season statistical command is historically impressive. To see these numbers and then hear the hushed, almost dismissive tones of media commentary is genuinely baffling.

The speaker in the video rightly compares Jokic to a Tim Duncanesque player. Duncan, the “Big Fundamental,” was perhaps the most dominant power forward of his era, yet he often found himself overlooked for flashier counterparts, precisely because his game was built on relentless consistency, perfect fundamentals, and quiet destruction. Jokic carries that same burden: if he’s not putting up astronomical scoring numbers, he is unjustly glossed over, simply because the current NBA ecosystem privileges points above all else. The perceived value of an NBA player has been tragically reduced to a simple count of points scored, ignoring the profound impact on winning that statistical diversity provides.

The True Definition of ‘Most Valuable’

The debate over the MVP award fundamentally hinges on a single, vital word: valuable. Jokic’s unique claim to this title is not just his ability to score or rebound, but his unparalleled skill at making his teammates exponentially better.

When comparing him to other elite players, such as Luka Dončić, a distinction emerges. Luka is an exceptional, historic talent capable of beating any team almost single-handedly through sheer isolation brilliance and scoring audacity. However, his greatness often manifests as one player carrying a team, sometimes to the detriment of offensive flow and the elevation of his surrounding talent.

Jokic’s genius is inverted. He is a force multiplier. His presence, his passing, and his understanding of geometry and spacing on the court are so profound that they lift other players above and beyond their own statistical norms. He is the sun around which the entire Nuggets offense revolves, and his gravity pulls role players into career-best seasons. This is crucial. This ability to elevate the collective—to not just be the best player, but the player who maximizes the value of the other four players on the court—is the truest, most compelling definition of a Most Valuable Player.

The context of the Nuggets’ victory last year—a victory accomplished not through superstar melodrama or hyper-isolation, but through beautiful, selfless, and efficient team basketball—was a testament to this philosophy. And as they implement new faces and new coaching systems this year, it is Jokic’s stable, dominant presence that guarantees the continuity of that championship pedigree. If his numbers remain consistent, and the Denver Nuggets maintain their current top-three position in the highly competitive West, there is simply no rational argument against granting Jokic his rightful MVP trophy. It would be a recognition not just of raw stats, but of winning, of leadership, and of value.

A Masterclass in Skill, Not Size

Perhaps the most compelling argument for Jokic’s long-term legacy—and the reason why the media needs to wake up—lies in the very nature of his game.

In a league obsessed with the 40-inch vertical leap, the lightning-fast transition, and the raw power of players like Shaquille O’Neal or Wilt Chamberlain, Jokic’s style is a quiet, intellectual rebellion. He does not possess “hyper-athleticism.” He is not demonstrably bigger, faster, or stronger than the behemoths of the past or the modern speedsters.

What he possesses is phenomenal skill and a transcendent understanding of the game.

His movements are subtle. His passing is art. His footwork in the post, often overlooked because it lacks the explosive spin or thunderous dunk finish, is surgical and fundamental, relying on pivot points and leverage rather than brute force. He knows where the defense is, where his teammates will be, and, most importantly, where the ball needs to go three passes ahead of time. He plays the game the right way.

This intellectual approach is why the current lack of attention is so much more than a simple oversight; it is a profound cultural statement about what we, as fans and analysts, choose to value in the modern athlete. If we continue to prioritize the flashy, transient spectacle over the deep, sustained excellence of basketball IQ and fundamental mastery, we risk diminishing the very essence of the sport.

Jokic is the blueprint for future success—a towering, skilled, and brilliant player who demonstrates that the mind, coupled with an unmatched feel for the game, will always triumph over mere physical gifts. His game is a masterclass in patience, positioning, and precision. It is an argument for craft over clout.

Therefore, for any young athlete, for any parent or coach teaching the game, the message is clear: do not simply chase the highlights of the fastest or the highest jumpers. Watch Nikola Jokic. Study his game. Observe how he leverages his body, how he reads a defense, and how he finds the simplest, most effective path to victory. He is not just an MVP candidate; he is a living, breathing textbook of fundamental basketball philosophy.

The media may be sleeping, content to watch the highlight reels and chase the most common narrative, but the truth is evident in the statistical record and the win column: The Quiet King is dominating, and it’s time the world started paying attention to the most skilled player on the planet before his relentless, consistent excellence is simply taken for granted yet again. His is a greatness that refuses to roar, yet its impact echoes louder than any dunk. He is on another level, and his campaign for what should be his next MVP award is simply getting glossed over, a tragedy of modern sports storytelling we are here to highlight.