Opinion | We have gone too far in praising Nikola Jokic

I believe we are placing Nikola Jokic on a tier too quickly that he doesn't yet belong to. And mind you, that doesn't mean I don't think he's an extraordinary player, because we are probably witnessing the most talented offensive center to have played in the NBA. But one thing is recognizing his brilliance, and another thing entirely is already placing him at the table of the top five big men of all time.

We live in a time where everything moves too fast. Each season seems enough to declare someone "historical," and I have the feeling that advanced statistics have further accelerated this phenomenon. Today, many debates are resolved by looking at numbers, efficiency, and triple-doubles, but for me, basketball has always been much more complex than that.

I grew up watching —and competing against— players who were defined by both what they did on offense and the fear they instilled on defense. Back then, to enter the conversation of the greatest, you had to dominate both ends of the court. It wasn't enough to score or distribute assists. There was a very clear hierarchy, and everyone had to prove their greatness constantly by facing legends of the same position.

That's why I find it so difficult to directly compare Jokic with names like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Shaquille O'Neal, or Hakeem Olajuwon. Not because Jokic isn't dominant, but because those players imposed their will at both ends of the court in an NBA where centers battled night after night in the paint.

Jokic is unique. He has the vision of a point guard, the hands of a shooting guard, and an offensive creativity unmatched for someone of his size. He always seems to make the right decision, and his basketball IQ is arguably the best we've seen in a big man. Offensively, he does absolutely everything. He can score, create, lead, and control the pace of an entire game.

But when we talk about the greatest centers of all time, for me, the question can't just be "what does he do offensively?" The real question is: what impact does he have on defense as well?

And that's where I believe there is an important difference compared to the historical greats. All members of that Top 5 were true defensive forces. They changed games through intimidation, rim protection, or physical dominance. Jokic, on the other hand, has never stood out for that, and many times has been precisely the vulnerable point for Denver in certain playoff series.

In fact, I think there is a telling detail. When Jokic has faced physically strong and defensively dominant big men like Rudy Gobert, he has struggled much more than usual. And if that happens against a great defender of this era, it's hard not to wonder what would have occurred facing off against monsters like Shaq or Hakeem in their prime.

Another Historical Tier

That's why, personally, I still don't place him on that historical tier. For me, he's in a very high category, alongside legends like Moses Malone, David Robinson, or Patrick Ewing. That is already a gigantic level. But to enter the definitive conversation of the top five greatest centers of all time requires more than unmatched offensive talent.

Sometimes it seems that if someone criticizes a part of Jokic's game, they are automatically belittling his career, and that's not the case. One can deeply admire his brilliance and at the same time think that he hasn't yet reached that absolute historical level.

Because in the end, to sit at the table of the greatest of all time, it takes more than just dominating on offense. The history of the NBA has always demanded much more than that.

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