Every now and then in the NBA, someone emerges who can rightfully challenge widely recognized Michael Jordan’s GOAT status. Whether it’s the unmatched work ethic and resemblance to MJ that Kobe Bryant brought, the quiet dominance in every facet of the game by Tim Duncan, or, as has been increasingly mentioned recently, the longevity and ability to stay on top of the Association’s food chain that LeBron James has demonstrated.
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It’s also important to mention the legends before Jordan as potential contenders for the title of the greatest of all time. However, one name we definitely haven’t heard in this always fiery debate is that of Nikola Jokic.
Well, that is until now, when a well-known American sports journalist and media personality, Dan Le Batard, placed him at the top of his list.
“I believe that I can summon the argument and not get too much argument for either one of you that Jokic is the best basketball player that has ever been. I’m putting him ahead of Jordan, ahead of LeBron,” the renowned sports writer claimed in his appearance on the OGs podcast. “Just because the numerical efficiencies he is doing are unseen in the history of the game. I Understand he moves like a giant loaf of bread, I understand that we underestimate the things that he might do, because athletically he doesn’t seem like he is that gifted…”
From zero to hero
As we already know, “The Joker” was the 11th pick of the second round (41st overall), and during his selection, a Taco Bell commercial was aired. However, despite the fact that he wasn’t a highly touted prospect and that his physical fitness often doesn’t stand out in a league of hyper-athletic all-around players, Nikola became a three-time MVP and led his Denver Nuggets to their first franchise NBA Championship in 2023.
And considering that the league today, whether we want to admit it or not, often focuses on statistics and all kinds of metrics that show how good a player really is, Jokic, by Player Efficiency Rating, clears everyone in the history of the game.
PER is a basketball metric developed by former Memphis Grizzlies Vice President of Basketball Operations John Hollinger in the 1990s. It aims to measure a player’s productivity and overall impact on the game in one number. Over the last decade, it has become widely used in advanced basketball analytics and has earned the nickname “the godfather stat.”
Metrics go in favor of Jokic
If we take a quick glance at the NBA/ABA PER leaders, the Serbian native sits at the top with 28.33. Behind him are the two players whom many consider 1A and 1B when it comes to the GOAT debate, Mike and Bron, with 27.91 and 26.97, respectively. Although numbers aren’t everything in this case, they paint a good picture of how dominant “The Joker” really is, despite his unassuming looks and nonchalant attitude.
Additionally, the Nuggets center is aiming for his 4th MVP title in just a five-year span, averaging a career-high in points per game (31.2) and posting the second-best averages in rebounds (13.2) and assists (9.8). We’ve grown accustomed to Jokic flirting with triple-double averages every campaign, but this elite efficiency is what truly sets him apart from his peers.
While many will criticize Le Batard’s take, in this case, patience is a virtue, and we’ll have to wait to see how the rest of the 6’11” center’s career unfolds before we can throw GOAT labels at his name.
