Nikola Jokic - He's the most unique player I've ever seen in the NBA.

[superjohn]

He's the most unique player I've ever seen in the NBA. 18 assists for the big fella tonight. Another triple double and 42 assists through his first 3 games this season. It's remarkable watching a slow goofy looking guy dominate NBA teams game after game with his vision, creativity, and basketball smarts.

 

[dannyHAM]

Incredible talent. Best passing big man ever?

 

[MexicoHusky]

I don't watch a ton of NBA. Or I didn't until the recent playoffs. What I do watch is normally the Timberwolves. Which gives me a skewed perspective of the current nba style. Up until last years playoffs I wasn't really paying attention to the nba. I thought the current NBA style was bad.

The deep threes. The multitude of players with perimeter skills. The lack of post players (outside a few guys). It's made for maximum spacing. A guy like Jokic with his limited speed seems to have lots of room to operate. This is something that didn't exist 15 years ago.

I watched much of the playoffs last year. Turns out I really like the current style. The lane is wide open. It's kinda neat.

 

[awfuldan]

Yeah he's so fun to watch. That Nuggets team was insane in the bubble. Really curious to see what they can do this year.

 

[superjohn]

Incredible talent. Best passing big man ever?

For sure.

 

[awfuldan]

This is the play I think of when I think of Jokic. Feel like he gets a couple of these one-handed outlet passes every season. So sick.

 

[UConn Esq]

Love his game. He’s also very likeable and easy to root for. He’s super competitive without coming off arrogant.

 

[Chief00]

Remember Bill Walton’s two handed over the head outlet pass, a thing of beauty to watch.

 

[Dean Wormer]

Incredible talent. Best passing big man ever?

Because of the Cold War we never saw the younger version of Arvydas Sabonis, but many NBA types have said he was the best passing big man ever.
I do love Joker though.

 

[husky429]

More than any other position, the center can have such a variety of skillsets these days. Jokic is fat, slow, but hyper-skilled and ridiculous passing the rock and running a team. Totally different player than say Joel Embiid or KAT the other young talents.

 

[Huskyforlife]

I hope he wins championships, he'll be in the conversation for best bigs if he does.

 

[Huskyforlife]

If you think about it, he's basically their PG.

 

[Burnsbros23]

Had a guy who was running Europeon kids tell me he sent Jokic highlight tape as a joke to some d1’s and they said he wasn’t good enough. Game is so unique. So different from what is common in today’s game.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

In a copycat league, I love NBA players like Jokic who bring some spice and life to the league. I don't watch a lot of NBA, but the Nuggets have been a fun team to watch.

There are a few comparable NCAA players for Jokic fans out there:

Trevion Williams, junior from Purdue: The offensive counterpart to Aaron Wheeler, the offense runs through the 6'10 265 junior when he's on the court, especially when Stefanovic and Williams share the court. Over the last few years, Purdue has been my favorite team in the Big Ten: I like Painter and his teams are usually very easy to root for.

Ashan Asabullah, junior from Lipscomb: 6'8 265 load in the post who leads the team in assists, scoring, rebounds and blocks. Like the Nuggets, Lipscomb has a lot of shooters: four regulars shooting over 40% from 3. The A-Sun is a weak league, but Lipscomb's two games against Liberty on Friday and Saturday afternoon are likely the most competitive games Lipscomb will see until March.

Last year, I would have said Cameron Krutwig from Loyola-Chicago. He's a great passer, but the offense isn't running through Krutwig as much as the last two years.

 

[InKembaITrust]

I had the 2nd pick in my fantasy draft.

Should I have taken him over Luka?

 

[Kolumbo]

This is the play I think of when I think of Jokic. Feel like he gets a couple of these one-handed outlet passes every season. So sick.

That's an amazing pass, especially if he never played baseball or the qb position. Heck, it's a great pass for even a pitcher.

https://youtu.be/rJCwLAizD1w

 

[Chin Diesel]

Incredible talent. Best passing big man ever?

Remember Bill Walton’s two handed over the head outlet pass, a thing of beauty to watch.

Because of the Cold War we never saw the younger version of Arvydas Sabonis, but many NBA types have said he was the best passing big man ever.
I do love Joker though.

I think Walton and Larry Bird before their injuries were probably better comparisons for a young Sabonis. Some of the thing Sabonis did to David Robinson in the Olympics were borderline criminal.

But yes, in the last 50 years, Jokic, Sabonis and Walton are the three best passing C's.

 

[BParkDog]

He's slow in foot speed, sure, but his hand speed and his brain speed are super fast, and, as it turns out, that's really important.
Magic wasn't particularly athletic, and is probably a very good comp for Jokic - their games are remarkably similar - great passers, not particularly fleet of foot, big bodies, great game understanding. Both get rebounds with body positioning and mass and hand and eye speed. And so on.

 

[bfs3]

I had the 2nd pick in my fantasy draft.

Should I have taken him over Luka?

Probably. I made the same mistake.

 

[RichZ]

But yes, in the last 50 years, Jokic, Sabonis and Walton are the three best passing C's.

A two handed chest pass may not be as pretty looking, but it was every bit as effective for Wes Unseld.

 

[Hey Adrien!]

Probably. I made the same mistake.

I had the 1st overall pick in a P/3P/R/A/S/B/TO league (no %s) and took Harden and hated it. Would have much preferred the 4 or 5 pick and take BPA. Jokic dropped all the way to 9th in my league.

 

[ZenConn]

Agree with @Chin Diesel that Sabonis is part of the conversation as one of the best passing big ever.

 

[arch]

Wilt was better.

 

[superjohn]

Sabonis was closest but no big man ever passed like this, no guards pass like this...

 

[Dean Wormer]

Sabonis was closest but no big man ever passed like this, no guards pass like this...

The game is so different now. That’s why I never get why guys try to compare eras, it’s just ludicrous.
What s interesting it that all these greats like Sabonis, Unseld, Joker, and Celtic Walton after the injuries, wouldn’t really be considered athletic per se. They were Big lumbering beer-league types, but they had savvy about positioning and throwing their weight around. Unseld was a master at that, so was another good big, Paul Silas.