The Herd with Colin Cowherd

Hoops Tonight - Why Nikola Jokic is BY FAR #1 player in NBA | Denver Nuggets

Sep 14, 2025
Nikola Jokic's skills solidify his status as the NBA's top player. There's a significant gap between him and other stars like Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The discussion also touches on player rankings and their effect on fan engagement. Evaluating up-and-coming players like Shea Gilders-Alexander shows potential against the elite. The chat dives into offensive strategies like 'pistol action' and the importance of spacing. Overall, the analysis highlights Jokic's unmatched excellence and the future of NBA talent.
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INSIGHT

Jokic's Peak Season Cemented His Dominance

  • Nikola Jokic delivered the best season of his career, finishing with a triple-double average and elite shooting splits.
  • Jason argues this performance makes Jokic the clearest #1 player in the world for a third straight year.
INSIGHT

Dominant Across Play Types And Roles

  • Advanced play-type metrics show Jokic excels as a handler, ISO creator, and post scorer at elite percentiles.
  • His off-ball efficiency and volume post scoring separated him substantially from every other player.
INSIGHT

Playoff Defense Lifted Denver

  • Jason judged Jokic's playoff defense as much better than his regular season and pivotal to Denver's postseason success.
  • He credits Jokic's IQ and active hands for stabilizing a shaky Nuggets defense in the playoffs.
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