With six All-Star appearances, three MVPs, and a championship ring, Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets has had an NBA career that most people only dream of.
In the grand scheme of league history, is Jokic a top-five player of all time?
Stephen A. Smith doesn’t think so, and he recently revealed why.
Speaking with the “Full Send Podcast” via Legion Hoops, Smith explained why he doesn’t think Jokic is a top-five player.
Smith said:
“[Jokic] can’t jump onto a curb, and when we look at basketball players, the first word that comes to our mouth is athleticism.”
Stephen A. Smith was asked why people don’t consider Nikola Jokic a top-5 player of all-time.
His response: “[Jokic] can’t jump onto a curb, and when we look at basketball players, the first word that comes to our mouth is athleticism.”
(via @fullsendpodcast) pic.twitter.com/ayNtho2u8m
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) November 22, 2024
Jokic definitely isn’t the old-fashioned, traditional definition of what an NBA athlete looks like.
He is built differently and doesn’t move with the sort of speed people are used to.
But despite what he looks like, Jokic is a supremely talented star and has done some incredible things during his nine seasons in the NBA.
He is again playing well for his Nuggets, averaging 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists per game on 56.3 percent from the field and 56.4 percent from the three-point line.
The man is playing so well, in fact, that there is talk of him once again winning MVP this season, which would be his fourth time.
People will talk about how he moves, how he jumps, and how he looks, but the facts speak for themselves, and no one can argue about Jokic’s greatness.
There aren’t any players like him and his impact on the league is felt again and again every season.
