Every once in a while, a transcendent player descends on a professional sport - a player with a unique combination of skills and talent rarely seen throughout history, or maybe never seen.
Across sports, think Ohtani and Mahomes. Some of Gretzky's numbers are astronomical. Wilt's numbers join in that stratosphere. The game of basketball has had its fair share of above the rim acrobats (Dr. J, MJ, Vince Carter), and end-to-end electrifiers (Tiny, Isiah, Rose, Westbrook). There are also those who excelled in a different way.
Bob Cousy was the NBA’s original showman, Pete Maravich became the bridge to the modern era of ball handling and flair, and Larry Bird was Pistol at 6’9. Magic was Bird west. Bird was Magic east. Chamberlain and Shaquille O’Neal are the two most physically imposing basketball players to ever step foot on the court. Bill Russell was the supreme role player and leader, 11 titles speaking to that. Jerry West and Oscar provided the Jordans before Jordan. Kareem had an unstoppable shot. MJ the most gifted scorer, ultimate competitor, winner. Kobe was MJ-Light. Stephen Curry made the 3-point shot en vogue. LeBron is duking it out with Father Time.
There are great players in every era, but the transcendents are special.
We have never seen another Wilt, another Russell, another Dr. J, another Jordan, another Shaq. Will we see another Curry? Another LeBron? Time will tell. There is another guy that we may not see another one of. And we’ve never seen him before, either.
The great players of eras past had their own recipe, their own unique style and consequent dominance. Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets is a blend of those recipes, a deviation of the norm. Thursday night, Jokic gave another example of why.
Jokic’s fifth consecutive triple-double in the Nuggets’ 132-123 win over the Sacramento Kings was a monstrous one, a history-making one. With 35 points, 22 rebounds, and 17 assists (12-for-19, 9-for-10 from the line), Jokic produced the first 35/20/15 game since Chamberlain on February 14, 1968. In that game nearly 57 years ago, Wilt posted 35 points, 24 rebounds, and 15 assists (15-for-18 from the field) in a 149-125 Philadelphia 76er win over the Seattle SuperSonics. Chamberlain concluded 1967-68 with his third consecutive MVP award, and he finished his career with four. Jokic won the award back-to-back in 2021 and 2022, and again in 2024.
The perennial all-star has never averaged a triple-double in his career, coming closest two seasons ago with averages of 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists. This season, his 30.2 points per game are a career-best (27.1 in 2021-22), his 13.4 rebounds are 0.4 boards off his career-high 13.8 in 2021-22, and his 10.1 assists per game best his 9.8 in 2022-23.
At present, the Nuggets are fourth in a tight Western Conference (28-16, 4-straight wins, 8-2 in their last 10). Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the spearhead behind the Thunder’s 36-8 mark, currently 6.5 games better than the second-place Houston Rockets (29-14). The Memphis Grizzlies (29-15) are sandwiched between the Rockets and Nuggets.
If the Nuggets stay the course or even improve on their season mark, Jokic could get his fourth MVP by the end of the season. He would join Chamberlain and James with four, and would then trail MJ and Russell (five apiece) and Abdul-Jabbar (six).
Now let’s go back to the remix. Jokic, listed at 6’11, 284, doesn’t have Wilt size or athleticism, doesn’t have Kareem height, doesn’t have Shaq’s girth. But in this era, he has the size over most big guys. A free-flowing style allows him to use his special-for-his-size ball handling skills in the open court, see the court, make exquisite passes, and pull-up from downtown. Get him a post mismatch, and he can back down and loft the ball over the top. He can swing the ball from one corner to the other, toss the ball nonchalantly behind his head to a fast breaking teammate for a dunk. Even effortlessly heave the ball from three-quarter court with one hand and watch it go through the net (as he did last night).
Jokic isn’t any of those three centers listed above. Rather, he’s a mix of so many all-time greats. He’s Bird, Maravich, O’Neal (for his size advantage in today’s game), Walton, McHale. He’s got some Arvydas Sabonis, and the post-passing of Chamberlain. Some 10 years ago, when Demarcus Cousins was bringing the ball up as a center with street-like ball handling, crossing over, dunking on opponents with ferocity, posting up and using his muscle and size in the paint to dunk on opposing centers, and hitting trifectas, it was something we really hadn’t seen before. Jokic, not as athletic, not as quick, not as fancy a dribbler, has a touch of Boogie in his game. For as dominant as he is inside, Jokic can stretch the floor. He’s methodical, not above the rim, even though he can dunk the ball. His own pace, like a Bird. His up fakes and craftiness inside like a McHale.
In 2000, R&B group Jagged Edge released their hit Let’s Get Married. Melodic, slow, smooth. Their remix of that hit with Jermaine Dupri and Run DMC’s Reverend Run is the more popular version. Mariah Carey’s Fantasy remix with Wu-Tang Clan's ODB gets more radio play, too.
Originals mixed with multiple elements to create a different sound, a different beat, a different listening experience.
Between 94 feet, Nikola Jokic represents that different sound, different beat, different experience.
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