Nikola Jokic has completed rise from Joker to king, says fellow Serb and former NBA All-Star
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Former Los Angeles Lakers player Vlade Divac was full of praise for his fellow Serb Nikola Jokic.
ST PHOTO: ARIFFIN JAMAR
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SINGAPORE – He is nicknamed the Joker. But after proving himself to be Denver Nuggets’ trump card in their historic National Basketball Association (NBA) play-off run and 4-1 Finals win over the Miami Heat,
While in Singapore on Tuesday to promote the Fiba Intercontinental Cup, fellow Serb and NBA All-Star (2001) Vlade Divac rattled off a list of other legends and said: “Bill Russell, Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, LeBron James, Michael Jordan... Nikola has definitely shown he belongs in this group.
“For me, one championship is enough to cement his place among the greats, but I’m sure he is going to win more.”
Selected by the Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA draft as the 41st overall pick, Jokic has confounded the odds in his eight seasons in Denver.
The centre, 28, has been a five-time NBA All-Star since 2019, two-time NBA Most Valuable Player in 2021 and 2022, and NBA Finals MVP in 2023, the lowest draft pick to do so in league history.
While he is an imposing 2.11m, 129kg unit, Jokic is more than a traditional big man as he also has the passing ability and basketball IQ of a guard.
When he was just 19, he described his style of play: “Everybody jumps so high, I don’t jump high, I don’t run too fast. Basketball is about teammates. When I’m open, I score, I pass, I play basketball. Just play simple.”
These values and all-roundedness were evident in the NBA Finals as he became the first player in history to record over 30 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists in a Finals game with his 32-21-10 tally, as Denver won a crucial Game 3 in Miami.
He is also the first player to lead the post-season in points (600), rebounds (269) and assists (190).
Divac highlighted how the likes of Jokic and Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid have catapulted centres back into the conversation in recent seasons after the NBA had trended towards long-range shooters, led by Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry.
He said: “I’m happy for Nikola because he has shown the world what he is capable of. He’s a big man, but he plays in every single position. He can shoot, pass, play the low post. Maybe he struggles a bit against opponents who play pick and roll against him, but he does so much great stuff, I wouldn’t call it a weakness.”
Divac’s pride was clear when discussing his compatriot and he shared how there were watch parties at homes and Belgrade’s city square despite the NBA Finals being televised in the early hours in Serbia.
“Nikola has done a tremendous job for himself and representing the country,” he said. “We are all happy and proud of him for showing everybody he is the best player in the NBA.”
While Jokic still has years ahead of him, the same cannot be said of Los Angeles Lakers lynchpin James. Even at 38, the all-time NBA leading scorer and four-time NBA champion had carried his team to the Western Conference Finals. While they were swept by the Nuggets, LA lost by a combined total of only 24 points.
James’ final game yielded 40 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists after playing all 48 minutes of a 113-111 loss, after which he hinted at retirement for the first time.
If James is aiming for a fifth championship ring, he will need plenty of help, said Divac, who had two stints with the Lakers.
He said: “Considering the injuries they had this season, they did better than I expected of them. But they do need to rebuild with younger players because the other teams are getting younger...
“I have a lot of respect for him (James) for sticking with the Lakers but, if things don’t change, it will be very difficult for him and the Lakers to win the championship. It really depends on the supporting cast because he cannot do it by himself.”
