Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic is the most complete center to play professional basketball in the modern era, and his statistical record backs that claim without equivocation. In 2024-25, he averaged 29.0 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 10.4 assists per game across 72 appearances — routine triple-double production from a 7-footer that has no historical parallel. His 58.2% shooting from the field that season reflects the degree to which he controls his shot selection: he scores at the rim, from the mid-range, and from three with near-equal precision.

What distinguishes Jokic is that he operates as a passer first, scorer second. He reads defensive rotations before the ball moves, which means by the time he receives the pass, the defense is already in the wrong position. His three MVP awards (2021, 2022, 2024) — the most by a center since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — capture a peak that has proven to be sustained rather than singular.

The 2023 championship run crystallized his place in the conversation. He averaged 30.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, and 7.2 assists across 20 playoff games, winning Finals MVP as Denver earned its first title in franchise history. His efficiency held in the postseason — a reliable mark of elite-level play under elevated defensive attention.

Jokic came to the NBA from KK Mega in Serbia as the 41st pick of the 2014 draft — the lowest-drafted MVP in league history. He bypassed American college basketball entirely, developing a feel-based, footwork-driven game that translated seamlessly to the professional level. He is now the fourth-most prolific triple-double producer in NBA history, and the gap between his production and his draft position remains one of the most dramatic outlier stories the sport has produced.