His game has been improving steadily in his last season and a half, and he’s currently averaging 15.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.4 assists per game so far this year – all of which represent significant increases from his rookie total. In the 80 games that he featured in as a rookie, Jokic averaged 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game.

The player dubbed “The Joker” made an immediate impact upon his arrival to Denver as he made the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 2016. His passing abilities are among the best in the league among players at his position, which is backed up statistically by the fact that he led all centers in assists per game in 2016-17. Jokic has the type of passing intuition that you can’t teach – he has an uncanny ability to know where his teammates are going and pass the ball to a spot to help them get open.

When watching him, what jumps out most about the 22-year-old’s game is his basketball IQ. His particular blend of spot-up shooting and capable low post play make him a nightmare matchup to guard on defense. Jokic’s three-point shot has drastically improved so far this season, as he’s shooting over 40 percent from beyond the arc–significantly higher than the 32.4 percent clip he shot at in 2016-17. The third-year player has a fantastic inside/outside game, as he’s just as capable of scoring in the paint as he is from midrange or beyond the arc. Standing at 6’10”, Jokic has an incredibly well-rounded game, which is paramount in the NBA as more teams rely on their power forwards and centers to shoot from outside of the paint. Given how well he’s played already, it looks as though the Nuggets unearthed a buried treasure in their Serbian center. Hot off the heels of a season where he averaged over 11 points per game in Serbia at just 19 years of age, Jokic was selected by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft. A native of Sombor, Serbia, Jokic played for Mega Basket in the Serbian and Adriatic Leagues prior to his move stateside. One rising international star that has worked his way into the mix with the two aforementioned players is Nikola Jokic, a center for the Denver Nuggets.Īt just 22 years old, Jokic seems to be destined for stardom sooner rather than later. Over the last few years, the league has seen an influx of marquis international talent with the likes of Kristaps Porzingis and Giannis Antetokounmpo. With the sheer number of talented young players, sensational rookies, generational talents, and rising stars, the NBA talent pool is as deep as it’s been in quite some time. It is truly a fantastic time to be an NBA fan.

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