Nikola Jokić’s brilliance isn’t up for debate anymore - it’s a fact. Three MVPs, a Finals MVP, and an NBA championship later, the Denver Nuggets’ big man has carved out a spot among the game’s all-time elite.
But when it comes to calling him the greatest player in NBA history? That’s where the conversation starts to get a little more heated.
Recently, former head coach and longtime analyst Stan Van Gundy stirred the pot with a bold statement. On The Lowe Post podcast, Van Gundy floated the idea that Jokić “might be the best player in the history of the NBA.” He backed it up with another provocative take: that the top 20 players in league history have likely played in the last two decades.
That’s the kind of statement that doesn’t just spark debate - it draws fire.
Metta World Peace, the 2010 NBA champion and former Lakers enforcer, didn’t hold back. His response?
“150% wrong. We need to stop kissing up to these players.”
That’s as direct as it gets, and it’s clear he wasn’t alone in his criticism. Markieff Morris, who won a title alongside LeBron James in 2020, also pushed back on the idea, making it clear he doesn’t see Jokić surpassing James in the all-time hierarchy.
Still, not everyone’s lining up to dismiss Van Gundy’s claim. In fact, LeBron himself had some high praise for Jokić - and it wasn’t just lip service.
On the Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, James called Jokić “the most complete player” he’s ever faced. That’s a loaded compliment coming from a four-time MVP who’s gone toe-to-toe with the best of the best for over two decades.
“There has not been a more dominant complete player that I've played against,” James said. “From the passing to the shooting to the rebounding to the attention.
There’s nothing he cannot do on the offensive end. Like, nothing at all.
Nothing.”
That’s the kind of respect that doesn’t come easy - especially from someone who’s battled Jokić in the playoffs multiple times. In fact, the two stars have clashed in the postseason twice in the last three years, with Jokić and the Nuggets getting the better of James and the Lakers both times. Of course, LeBron still holds the upper hand in their earlier playoff meeting, when his Lakers knocked off the Nuggets en route to the 2020 title.
But let’s talk about what Jokić is doing right now - because once again, he’s putting up numbers that look like they came from a video game.
Through the early stretch of this season, Jokić is averaging 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 10.9 assists per game. That’s not just MVP-caliber - that’s historic territory. The kind of production that makes you stop and wonder if we’re watching one of the most unique forces the game has ever seen.
It’s not just the stats, though. It’s how he gets them.
Jokić controls the game with a surgeon’s precision. His court vision is elite.
His footwork in the post is textbook. And his ability to read defenses and make the right play - every time - is what truly separates him from the pack.
So is he the greatest of all time? That’s a debate that’ll rage on for years. But one thing’s for sure: Nikola Jokić isn’t just part of the conversation - he’s forcing us to rethink the terms of it.