The current era of the NBA has much to offer the average basketball fan. I believe that the 2010s and 2020s have been the most difficult era for players, by far. Players are attempting more three-point shots than ever before, top players have become increasingly focused on forming superteams, and more than ever, teams are racking up record-breaking points per game. There has never been more widespread coverage of professional basketball and greater attention paid to the curation of personal brands. It is an exciting time to be tapped into the NBA and the repertoire of the outstanding players it boasts.
If you ask me who my favorite player is, my answer will vary widely depending on the day. The variety of personalities and play styles across the league allow different players to shine in different ways. But my allegiance has most consistently been with Nikola Jokić, a center on the Denver Nuggets.
Jokić was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft. He was the 41st overall selection, and ESPN did not even televise his selection live during their broadcast of the draft. His draft was announced via an on-screen graphic while the channel was on a commercial break, airing a Taco Bell commercial. The 6-foot-11, 284-pound Serbian behemoth has since been called by some one of the greatest draft overachievers in NBA history.
In the ten years since he has been drafted, Jokić has made waves in the NBA. Last year, he became the third player in league history to record a triple-double — scoring at least ten points, rebounds and assists during a single game — against every single team he has faced in his career. The only other players to achieve this feat are LeBron James and Russell Westbrook. Jokić was also selected to play in six All-Star games. He has won three MVP awards, one Finals MVP award and one NBA championship.
On Nov. 10 of last year, in a 122-120 win against the Dallas Mavericks, Jokić delivered a staggering performance with 37 points, 18 rebounds, 15 assists and three steals in 38 minutes of play. It was his fourth consecutive triple-double and his league-leading sixth of the season — impressive feats that only scratch the surface of his impact.
This stat line marked the first time in NBA history that a player recorded at least 37 points, 18 rebounds and 15 assists in a single game. Denver leaned heavily on Jokić’s brilliance in a tightly contested battle, especially in the final eight minutes. With Dallas’ Kyrie Irving, who ended the night with 43 points, giving the Mavericks a 120-118 lead with a clutch bank shot at the 1:39 mark, Jokić responded with a game-tying tip-in, paving the way for Michael Porter Jr.’s game-winning basket with just seven seconds remaining.
The next month, in a game against the Washington Wizards, he became the first-ever player to total 55+ points, 15+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 3+ triples in a game — these stats were all achieved despite the Nuggets’ loss by nine points. Since then, the Nuggets have beat the Wizards twice.
Perhaps most relevant are the stats he put up in a game against the Chicago Bulls on Jan. 27 of this year. Though the game was yet another Nuggets defeat (121-129), Jokić became the first player in NBA history to shoot a perfect 10-of-10 from the field in a first half while also racking up 8 assists. Had the Nuggets’ defense been stronger, the game could have been a victory for Denver.
At the time of writing this, Jokić has 169 career triple-doubles in the NBA, 151 of which took place during the regular season. He is ranked third overall for regular-season triple doubles and has more than Wilt Chamberlain and Larry Bird combined. He holds the record for the fastest triple-double, which he achieved in 14 minutes and 33 seconds. He is also currently ranked third in the league for three-point percentage, trailing Domantas Sabonis from the Sacramento Kings and Luke Kennard from the Memphis Grizzlies.
Although the Nuggets are currently ranked fourth overall in the Western Conference due to a rough start to the season, they have quickly turned things around in the last month. Their decision to place Westbrook in the starting lineup has allowed him to powerfully collaborate with Jokić, a move that will hopefully prove the strength of the team overall.
Though Jokić’s career performance has been monumental, I do not think that is what defines his magnitude within the landscape of the NBA. Rather, his personality and the way he approaches the game are what truly set him apart. Jokić is the antithesis of the modern NBA superstar archetype. He is not chasing the spotlight (Ja Morant, I am looking at you) or curating a larger-than-life persona off the court. Instead, his humility, unassuming nature and genuine love for the game define him. From partying at the championship parade to downplaying his accomplishments in post-game interviews or sharing stories about his life back in Serbia, Jokić’s personality resonates as authentic and relatable in a league often dominated by showmanship and ego.
I recognize that Jokić is not an underground choice for favorite player by any means. But watching my hometown team transform over the last decade has been enormously exciting, and I credit Jokić for taking their dynamic to the next level. His subversion of the typical NBA all-star archetype keeps the game interesting. His record-breaking stats are objectively impressive. But more than anything, I love his personality. He is a family man whose main priority is not basketball — something that I find fascinating.
He treats basketball like a job — one he happens to be exceptionally good at — but his real priorities lie elsewhere: his family, his horses and his life back home in Serbia. In a league where so many players seem consumed by legacy, Jokić stands out simply because he does not seem to care about fame. He is a superstar who plays like it, but he does not act like it and that makes him endlessly interesting.
Watching Jokić play feels like a reminder of what makes basketball so special. He is brilliant in a way that does not just rack up stats but transforms the way you see the game itself. He is creative, selfless and plain fun to watch. Beyond the numbers, it is that combination of skill and sangfroid that makes him my favorite player — and why I am excited to keep rooting for him as he continues to lead the Denver Nuggets to success.
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