There’s no need to pity Nikola Jokić, and he wouldn’t want that either.
He is incredibly rich, with even more money on the way. He can enjoy his hobby of harness racing whenever he feels like it and has the time. He is in good health and receives top-notch medical care when he needs it. He is starting a family, and many fans admire him and show their appreciation.
He plays basketball for a living, which is one of the best jobs in the world. He travels first-class on private jets, stays in five-star hotels, enjoys free gourmet meals before and after games, avoids the hassle of a daily 9-to-5 commute, has a few locker room helpers running errands, and hears the cheers or gasps from thousands of fans on game nights.
However, there’s a reason to feel for a three-time Kia MVP and former NBA champion, even if it sounds strange. Jokić is missing something important.
– He doesn’t have an All-Star teammate. – He lacks an All-Defensive Team teammate. – He has no All-NBA teammate. – He hasn’t had a Rookie of the Year teammate. – He has no teammate leading the NBA in any major statistical category.
Most astonishingly, he hasn’t had a teammate who fits any of these descriptions throughout his entire 10-year career.
Jokić is a true heavy lifter, arguably more than any current player or even any player in history when it comes to the absence of talented teammates. This is why he is also considered one of the league’s most valuable players, with a strong focus on what “value” means.
He regularly achieves triple-doubles and ranks among the top players in scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Is there another player who has to do more for his team to succeed, whether now or in this era?
The Nuggets are on track to win over 50 games for the third year in a row. They have reached the Western Conference semifinals every year except once since 2018-19 and won the championship in 2023. This success corresponds with Jokić’s rise as a generational talent and yearly MVP contender.
During this time, Jokić has clearly been the best all-around player on his team.
Since the 2018-19 season, which includes the current one, he has consistently led the Nuggets in scoring, rebounds, and assists every season, and he has only missed leading in steals three times. That means he has topped the charts in 25 out of 28 possible categories.
It’s important to note that injuries kept Jamal Murray from competing with him for steals a few times (Murray was the leader in steals during the 2020-21 season) and may have also affected his chances of being an All-Star. But that’s really the only exception.
To sum it up — and remember, he’s only 30 years old — Jokić is rightly considered one of the most valuable players in history. He plays the lead role in a music group where the backup singers don’t always make it to the show on time, if they show up at all.
“Nuggets coach Michael Malone said, ‘We’ve gotten spoiled watching him.’”
That’s true. The Nuggets will count on him again tonight in a key Western Conference matchup against Minnesota, a team that has beaten Denver five times in a row (10 ET, TNT).
Lack of Teammate Star Power
Throughout MVP history, every winner has had at least one well-known teammate during their career. The players most similar to Jokić are Allen Iverson and Dirk Nowitzki.
Both of these players carried their teams for most of their Hall of Fame careers. Iverson had only two All-Star teammates: Dikembe Mutombo, who was also recognized for his defense, and Theo Ratliff. He was a standout player when the Sixers made it to the NBA Finals in 2001.
Nowitzki had some All-Stars on his team earlier in his career, like Michael Finley, Steve Nash, and Josh Howard, but he had to lead the team nearly by himself when they won the championship in 2011.
Moses Malone and Kevin Garnett took a while to find solid All-Star teammates before they moved to better situations. Malone left Houston for Philadelphia to team up with Julius Erving, while Garnett left Minnesota to join Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston, where both players won championships.
In Denver, Jokić plays alongside skilled teammates who complement his talents, but none of them are on his level of greatness. And honestly, how many players in the NBA can say they are?
Here’s a look at what Jokić has in Denver:
Murray. As noted, injuries took away some of his best seasons. However, Murray has had standout moments in the playoffs where he was the top player on the court. His most memorable performances include scoring two 50-point games in the first round against Utah during the bubble playoffs and hitting game-winners against the Lakers more recently.
He’s the chosen co-star and perfect guard because he can play without the ball and let the offense flow through Jokić. They have teamed up effectively, and in 2021, Murray became only the fourth player in history (after Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James) to average 20 points and 10 assists in the Finals.
However, since that time, Murray’s performance has varied, with his biggest challenge being his health and ability to stay on the court. Once again this season, he did not make the All-Star team.
Aaron Gordon. The Nuggets changed for the better after they traded for Gordon from Orlando, gaining a strong defensive player. Gordon has contributed on both sides of the court, improving his corner 3-point shooting while still being a reliable scorer at the rim after receiving passes from Jokić.
However, by the end of this season, he will have played at least 73 games only twice in his five seasons with Denver, as he has struggled with injuries. Even though he is a decent defender, he has never made an All-Defensive Team or been selected for the All-Star Game.
Michael Porter Jr. After recovering from back surgery early in his career, he became a reliable 3-point shooter for the Nuggets. When Jokić faces double-teams, Porter is often there to capitalize on open shots. His rebounding (seven per game in the last two seasons) is often overlooked.
However, his tendency to disappear at times puts pressure on the Nuggets, especially in the playoffs. He had a tough time during the Finals in 2021 and didn’t make much of an impact last season in the semifinals against Minnesota, a series that went seven games and exhausted Jokić, who was in need of support.
The three players mentioned are the main support for Jokić, but again, their availability is a concern. The Nuggets have only used their regular starting five together 21 times this season.
“That team has won many important games,” Malone stated. “They’ve faced tough challenges and have come out on top in many of them.”
But how much of that success can be credited to Jokić? How well would Murray, Gordon, and Porter perform without him?
Bucks coach Doc Rivers once remarked, “I would be nervous as a general manager to sign a player from the Denver Nuggets because he makes them significantly better.”
LeBron James agreed, saying that Jokić raises the level of play for his teammates.
“He does it all,” LeBron explained, “and the most important part is that he changes how his teammates view their own abilities. When you can motivate your teammates to perform at a level they didn’t think they could reach, that shows what a great player he is.”
The Nuggets are hoping that the group around Jokić will stay strong, especially for financial reasons. They decided to keep their core players instead of making big changes. Murray has a supermax contract, and the other two still have several years left on their deals.
In a way, the Nuggets have maxed out their options during Jokić’s prime MVP years, making it hard to significantly alter the team and limiting their ability to find Jokić a top-tier co-star or All-Star player.
He may need to adjust to this situation.
