Nikola Jokic has thrown enough jaw-dropping passes to fill a highlight reel for a decade, but one preseason gem may have jumped to the front of the line for him.
The Nuggets star was asked where his behind-the-back dime to Cam Johnson ranked among his best assists, and he didn’t hesitate. The play came in Denver’s preseason opener against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 4, when Jokic backed down Lauri Markkanen near the baseline and then whipped a no-look, behind-the-back feed across the court to Johnson in the opposite corner. Johnson caught it cleanly and buried an open 3-pointer.
“Probably right on the top,” Jokic said in an interview shared by the NBA on Wednesday.
He went a step further and called it his favorite assist, which says plenty from a player whose passing package already lives in the spectacular category.
Johnson, who finished the play, described just how crisp the delivery was from Jokic.
“I didn't have to move my hands,” Johnson said. “Amazingly fast.”
The ball sliced through multiple Jazz defenders before arriving exactly where Johnson needed it, another example of how Jokic can see and hit angles most players never even attempt.
Aaron Gordon was just as sold on it. The Nuggets forward previously called it one of the greatest passes ever, pointing to Jokic’s ability to spot a play that others would not have even seen.
With Denver getting ready for the 2026-2027 regular season, the play stood out as another reminder that Jokic keeps finding fresh ways to make the impossible look routine.
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