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How a championship would forever change Nikola Jokic’s legacy

By Donald Hamilton

Nikola Jokic (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
Nikola Jokic (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
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LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 22: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates with the Most Valuable Player trophy following the game four and series victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena on May 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 22: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets celebrates with the Most Valuable Player trophy following the game four and series victory against the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals at Crypto.com Arena on May 22, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Talk about accomplishments

So let’s go down the list of what Jokic has accomplished already in the staggering first eight seasons of his career thus far:

2x NBA MVP (Most Valuable Player)

5x NBA All-Star

2023 Western Conference Finals MVP

3x All-NBA First Team

2x All-NBA Second Team

2016 All-Rookie First Team

A pretty unprecedented resume for the 41st overall pick in 2014 out of Serbia, who was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial. Jokic is already the greatest second-round pick of all time, yes ahead of other past draft day steals in that round such as former San Antonio Spurs legend Manu Ginobili, Golden State Warriors defensive genius Draymond Green, and the flamboyant Dennis Rodman who was a menace on the boards and defensive end that helped contribute to five NBA titles.

So now the question begs: where does the “The Joker” rank amongst the greats if he finishes the job against the Heat and captures the first title of his career and the franchises?

So if you guys have never seen my NBA 75 Greatest Players of All Time, I suggest you do as it was a masterpiece. I didn’t have Jokic originally on my NBA 75 list during the 2021-22 season, I felt that he hadn’t achieved enough yet up to that point. However, if I were to do it now he’d be among the 20 greatest players to ever touch a basketball.

That’s ahead of some game changers on my list such as Dirk Nowitzki, Isiah Thomas, Dwyane Wade, David Robinson, Allen Iverson, and so forth as he’s pushing top 15-20 status if he wins a title for Denver, a city that’s never made the Finals before this, let alone won a championship.

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