Nikola Jokic is the dominant Serbian Center for the Denver Nuggets and is arguably the best player in the entire league. Jokic is leading the NBA in rebounds and assists, grabbing 12.5 rebounds and dishing out 10.3 assists per game. The only player to lead the NBA in rebounds and assists in a single season is the legendary Wilt Chamberlain.
Will Jokic match this astonishing feat, or does he have plans on matching more than one of Wilt’s records before the season’s end?
Nikola Jokic and his Nuggets are currently the 5th seed in the competitively stacked Western Conference, with little room for error, as they have dealt with an injured roster, inconsistent defensive play, and an inability to win clutch games.
The Nuggets have the toughest remaining schedules to end the regular season. Jokic will need to post great numbers with the level of competition they will face, so there is a great chance that Jokic will become the second player in NBA history to lead the league in rebounds and assists.
Not only does Jokic have the opportunity to match Wilt in that category, but he can also match his MVP award wins if Jokic happens to win his 4th MVP this season. The only competition in the way of Jokic claiming his 4th MVP is Oklahoma City Thunder’s star guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who is looking to repeat as MVP and repeat with his OKC Thunder.
The Nuggets are hungry to earn that second championship after they won their first in franchise history in 2023. Even though they will limp into the playoffs, they still have a championship pedigree and the best player on the court, no matter the competition. This championship win could match Wilt with Jokic winning his second title.
Nikola Jokic is ranked high amongst big men in the league and is a dominant force on the court, however, there is a hierarchy that we must follow when speaking about dominant big men in the NBA’s long history.
I grew up watching guys like Tim Duncan and Shaquille O’Neal dominate, so I reserve my opinion in ranking Jokic above those players until we witness more playoff success that we know Jokic is capable of, beyond the statistical side of things. He should still be ranked amongst the top 5 or top 10 of big men debates, but if he clears these three accomplishments this season, he would have conquered a huge feat!
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