When it comes to elite stars at their best, Nikola Jokic is undoubtedly one of the best. Fresh off winning a 2023 NBA championship, the Nuggets big man looks to be just getting started. Despite being one of the quietest guys in the league, he easily stood out last season and ended up winning it all.
Recently, former 2008 NBA champion Brian Scalabrine spoke on SiriusXM’s “NBA Radio” and spoke highly of Jokic, mentioning the gap between him and other stars in the league.
“This is the widest range since 2012,” Scalabrine said. “I mean, look at what he was doing on the team last year. He was doing everything. He was playing a game, a mentality game. His defensive positioning was solid. He was always in the right spot. .This guy is awesome. “I just don’t understand now why the gap isn’t huge. “
“Now listen, things could change,” Scalabrine added. “That could change, but right now, after what we saw last year, it’s still a long way off.”
In Scalabrine’s comments, he compared the gap where Nikola Jokic is now to where LeBron James was with the Miami Heat in 2012. During that time, James’ dominance reached the peak level of an NBA player’s career.
Interestingly, Brian Scalabrine’s comments come after ESPN ranked Nikola Jokic at No. 2, below No. 1 Giannis Antetokounmpo.
During Jokic’s championship career, he averaged 30.0 points (shooting 54.8% from the field, including 46.1% from three-point range), 13.5 rebounds and 9.5 assists per game. He performed well throughout his journey with the Nuggets, ultimately winning the team’s first championship.
Nikola Jokic talks winning 2023 NBA championship
During the 2023 NBA Finals, Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 4-1 in the series. According to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright, the two-time MVP talked about what it’s like to finally win the MVP award despite the many doubters.
“We made it, we won everything,” Jokic said. “It’s an amazing feeling. It’s a good feeling when you know you did something that no one believed in, just us. Just the whole organization, the Denver Nuggets, believed in us and every player believed in each other. “
It took Nikola Jokic a while to lead his team to the NBA Finals, but once his team reached that moment, they never looked back. This is a testament not only to the team, but to Jokic as a player and leader. Even his Nuggets coach Michael Malone would agree with that description, according to ESPN’s Michael C. Wright.
“I’ve said it many times before, but Nikola, even tonight, he acted like it was just another game,” Malone said. “He’s never changed because of all the success, and he never will be. No. That’s not his nature.”
With all the MVP awards and triple-doubles, there’s nothing better than an NBA resume that includes championships.