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There’s no reason to pity Nikola Jokić, and he certainly wouldn’t want that sympathy.
He enjoys immense wealth beyond his imagination, with many more millions on the horizon. He has the freedom to indulge in his love for harness racing whenever he wishes and has the time to do so. He enjoys good health and receives top-notch medical care during times of need. He’s expanding his family and is showered with adoration from countless fans.
Moreover, he plays basketball for a living – one of the most enviable jobs in the world. He travels in style via private jets, stays at luxurious hotels, dines on exquisite meals before and after games, and skips the grind of a typical 9-to-5 commute. He has attentive locker room staff to handle his needs and experiences the thrill of thousands of fans cheering or gasping on game nights.
However, there is a genuine reason to feel a sense of sympathy for a three-time Kia MVP and former NBA champion when viewed through the lens of basketball – wild as that may seem. This sentiment arises from the fact that Jokić is remarkably alone.
• He lacks an All-Star teammate.
• He has no companion on the All-Defensive Team.
• He has no All-NBA comrade.
• He has no Rookie of the Year partner.
• No colleague leads the NBA in any significant category while he is on the court.
And, perhaps most astonishingly of all, throughout his entire decade-long career, he has never had a teammate that meets any of these qualifications.
Jokić is a true heavy lifter, not just compared to current players but perhaps in the history of the league when it comes to the absence of accomplished teammates. This fact anchors his status as one of the league’s most valuable players, particularly emphasizing the word “value.”
He regularly delivers triple-doubles and finds himself among the leaders in points, rebounds, assists, and steals.
Is there any other player today charged with such a monumental burden for his team’s success?
The Denver Nuggets are on track to secure 50 or more wins for the third consecutive year. They have reached the Western Conference semifinals every season except once since the 2018-19 season, ultimately claiming the title in 2023. This success aligns with the emergence of Jokić as a generational talent and perennial MVP contender.
During this period, Jokić has proven to be his team’s most complete player, by a significant margin.
Since the 2018-19 season, spanning seven seasons including the current one, he has consistently led the Nuggets in scoring, rebounds, and assists, and has only missed leading in steals in three of those years. That’s 25 out of 28 possible categories.
It’s worth noting that injuries have occasionally hindered Jamal Murray from contesting him in steals (Murray led the team in 2020-21) and may have cost him an All-Star nod as well. But that’s about it.
To sum up—and considering he is only 30—Jokić undeniably ranks among the most valuable players in history. He’s like the lead vocalist in a band where the backup singers frequently fail to show up on time.
“We’ve become accustomed to his brilliance,” remarked Nuggets coach Michael Malone.
Indeed. Tonight, the Nuggets will lean on him once more in a vital Western Conference matchup against Minnesota, a team that has triumphed in five consecutive meetings with Denver (10 ET, TNT).
In the annals of MVP history, not a single player has gone their entire career without a notable teammate. The players closest to Jokić in this regard are Allen Iverson and Dirk Nowitzki.
Both players spent the majority of their Hall of Fame careers shouldering franchises. Iverson had only two All-Star teammates—Dikembe Mutombo (who also earned All-Defensive accolades) and Theo Ratliff—and he was essentially a one-man show in leading the Sixers to the 2001 NBA Finals.
Nowitzki enjoyed a few All-Star companions early in his career (including Michael Finley, Steve Nash, and Josh Howard), yet none were around when he led the Mavericks to a championship in 2011.
Moses Malone and Kevin Garnett each had a few All-Star appearances as teammates before ultimately leaving those situations; Malone departed from Houston to join Julius Erving in Philadelphia, while Garnett left Minnesota to team up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen in Boston, where they each won championships.
Conversely, Jokić is in Denver with capable players tailored to complement his extensive skill set, but none are equipped to come close to his caliber of excellence. To be fair, how many players in the NBA can?
Here’s who Jokić has beside him in Denver:
Jamal Murray. Injuries have robbed him of several prime seasons. Yet, Murray has had standout moments in the postseason, notably his impressive bubble performance, highlighted by two 50-point games against Utah and game-winners against the Lakers.
A suitable co-star, he can thrive off the ball, allowing the offense to flow through Jokić. Their chemistry is evident; in 2021, Murray became only the fourth player ever (after Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James) to average 20 points and 10 assists in an NBA Finals.
Unfortunately, Murray has struggled with consistency due in large part to his ongoing health issues. He did not earn an All-Star selection this season.
Aaron Gordon. The acquisition of Gordon transformed the Nuggets by providing a much-needed defensive edge. He has contributed significantly on both ends, with an improved three-point shot while remaining effective at finishing plays off of Jokić’s setups.
However, as the season concludes, Gordon will have only played a minimum of 73 games twice over his five seasons in Denver, again suffering from injuries. Despite being a solid defender, he has yet to make the All-Defensive Team or be selected for an All-Star Game.
Michael Porter Jr. After overcoming back surgery early in his career, he has emerged as a reliable three-point threat. Typically, when Jokić is double-teamed, Porter finds openings for good looks. His rebounding (averaging seven per game over the last two seasons) is also often overlooked.
However, his tendency to disappear during games can harm the Nuggets, especially in critical playoff moments. He struggled during the Finals in 2021 and was a non-factor last season against Minnesota in the semifinals, which extended to seven games and left Jokić in desperate need of support.
These three players are Jokić’s primary sources of support, but as we’ve seen, health remains a concern. The Nuggets have only utilized their regular starting five together just 21 times so far this season.
“That lineup has led us to many significant victories,” Malone stated. “They’ve endured numerous challenges and emerged victorious from many battles.”
But how much of that success is due to Jokić himself? How effective would Murray, Gordon, and Porter be without his influence?
Bucks coach Doc Rivers once mentioned, “As a general manager, I’d be wary of signing a player from the Denver Nuggets because he elevates their performance so dramatically.”
LeBron James echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that Jokić raises the bar for his teammates.
“He does it all,” LeBron observed, “and most importantly, he alters how his teammates view their own capabilities. When you inspire your teammates to exceed what they think is possible, that’s the hallmark of a true great.”
The Nuggets are hoping that the core surrounding Jokić remains stable, primarily for financial reasons. They opted to retain their players instead of pursuing major changes. Murray has a supermax extension in place, while the others have multiple years left on their contracts.
Essentially, the Nuggets find themselves financially constrained during Jokić’s MVP prime, limiting their ability to make significant adjustments to the roster and making it difficult to provide him with a fellow All-Star or an equally regarded co-star.
He may need to acclimate to this reality.
What constitutes an MVP? Nikola Jokić ranks among the top three in four major statistical categories, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring and team success stand out this year.
The real gauge of a player’s value is how their team performs in their absence. In this regard, Jokić is truly in a league of his own.
When he’s on the court, the Nuggets’ offense ranks among the best in the league. Once he steps off it, they struggle significantly. This scenario is hardly new; in fact, it defines his journey with the Nuggets. How many leads have disappeared when he takes a much-deserved break?
He is the catalyst for nearly every play, whether through his passing, outside shooting, or scoring in the paint. It supports the notion that the Nuggets’ playoff chances would be uncertain without his presence throughout an entire season.
This may partly explain why Jokić, whose defensive skills have often come under scrutiny, does not always approach defense aggressively—he cannot afford to foul out or risk heading to the bench, lest his team falters in crucial situations.
What’s most impressive about Jokić—much to the benefit of the Nuggets—is his durability and his determination to play through minor injuries. Additionally, he stated:
“I believe this has been my optimal year.”
Indeed, Jokić is poised to finish among the top three in the league for scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals—an unprecedented feat. At one point this season, he was also among the leaders in three-point percentage and will likely finish strong in that category too.
He is on track to average a triple-double with remarkable efficiency—extremely rare territory. This places him firmly among the legends, and his 2024-25 season could earn him a place among the all-time greats.
In other words, a three-time MVP, currently in a tight competition with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for a fourth award, is set to outdo himself.
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Shaun Powell has been covering the NBA for over 25 years. You can contact him here, browse his archive here, and follow him on X.
The opinions expressed on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the NBA, its teams, or Warner Bros. Discovery.
