The Denver Nuggets found themselves a true gem in Nikola Jokic.
The former second-round pick has a shot at being the greatest steal in NBA Draft history, and he’s already the best player to ever wear that jersey.
And if that wasn’t enough, NBA analyst Chris Broussard believes there’s a strong chance that Jokic will pass several Hall of Famers with a championship win in this year’s NBA Finals.
"If Nikola Jokić wins this championship he's ahead of Kevin Garnett, probably Charles Barkley. If he wins he's better than Dirk Nowitzki. … When Jokić's career is all said and done, he'll be ahead of Kevin Durant." — @Chris_Broussard pic.twitter.com/9tjS14hyqC
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) May 31, 2023
Broussard believes a championship would put him ahead of the likes of Kevin Garnett, Dirk Nowitzki, and Charles Barkley if he wins the ring this season.
Per the FS1 anchor, Nowitzki is a highly overrated player and Jokic is already a better rebounder and defender, and he’d have two MVPs and one ring to Dirk’s one MVP and one championship.
Moreover, Broussard went as far as to state that Jokic is on pace to be ahead of Kevin Durant in the all-time rankings once it’s all said and done, although he did admit that he hasn’t reached his status yet.
Truth be told, all-time rankings are mostly subjective, but Broussard has a valid point with this assessment.
Of course, championships shouldn’t be the only thing to define greatness or one’s legacy, and Barkley is one of the greatest rebounders, power forwards, and undersized players in NBA history by a very long margin.
But Jokic is a unique player and could sit at a very exclusive table with a championship this season, and it’s nice to see that he’s finally getting the praise and media attention he deserves.
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