Why Old School Fans Accept Nikola Jokic 

Once again i whole heartedly agree. I hate today's NBA but watching Jokic is a breath of fresh air.

Nikola is simply the best center and to me (i am old) on same foot as KAJ! His IQ, modesty, playing collectively the game and making everything look so easy is just perfect. Folks enjoy his craft while it last ...

Joker has almost single handedly brought my attention back to the NBA in a big way....Denver basketball is a joy to watch...off the court they are kind, soft-spoken and intelligent. Plus the Knicks are also having a great year....It's a time of changing of the guard in the NBA and it's LONG overdue.

A good mix of McHale's post moves and Bird's skillsets

My dad is an old school ball fan, his favorite being Hakeem. Yesterday was the first time he’s watched Jokic, and he’s already his favorite player in the modern NBA. First time since 2017 he’s watched.

Jokic is the return of basketball, and I love to see younger players such as Anthony Edwards saying he is the best in the world and taking him as an example. It seems that the 2010s narcissistic attitude tired the basketball community, and finally, during the 2020s, we are witnessing the next shift with the return of fundamentals and real basketball as style and stance.

The joker's game is the prototypical big man's game of the 90's under the rim hard nosed and inside the paint and no flops with sound fundamentals.

As someone who started watching basketball with dad in the 60s, this man is the only reason I evenpeak in on today’s NBA

Anyone who averages 1.5 steals and 9+ defensive rebounds a game does not deserve to be known as "bad on defense."

Yep. As a 90s basketball kid. I can attest that Jokic single handily brought me back to todays NBA. I watch Denver games only. (Some spurs games for wemby) Im a huge jokic guy. I want him to succeed big time.

I have to say as an old school NBA fan myself, Jokic is legit. The guy may not be the most muscular athletic big, but it's what he can do with that body which amazes me. There is just no explanation. He can do it all. He has post moves, has footwork, can be physical, he can shoot, he can facilitate, his IQ is also on another level. His impact on his teammates and how he reads the game is just incredible. He knows when to facilitate to his teammates and when to score.

Answer is hidden in another question. Why do we hate modern NBA? Because too many stars seem to care only about their stats and less about winning. And it is so common, that media just accepted the game and have their back. Nikola doesn't care about hairstyle, tatoos, night life or luxurious jewelry. He just does his best to win and that's what we were missing lately.

Stunning to hear Sean David put Jokic on the same level as Larry Bird knowing what respect Sean has for Bird. I am also a huge Larry Bird fan and... I have to agree. Jokic has got me back into the NBA after a long hiatus. I love the culture he has helped to create of selfless team basketball on the Nuggets. It is so similar to the effect that Bird had on the Celtics. Bird and Jokic are both contagious that way. I think the impact of Jokic will extend beyond his own team to the entire NBA when folks see more and more that this is not only beautiful basketball, but a winning culture and style as well.

Hakeem said it “he’s the one”

Jokic is in the running for best offensive player ever, that's the peak he's reaching right now.

i can say I have started watch regularly NBA game highlights again (not full games) just because of Jokic. And thats huge, because I did not watch ball since late 90s.

Thank from kind words . Love and greetings from Belgrade , Serbia, Europe .

I love Toni Kukoc, Dirk Nowitzki, Giannis Antetokoumpo, Tony Parker…but Nikola Jokic will forever be my favorite player ever Jokic is changing the game of basketball by elevating the assist importance. 3 MVPs in four years. In this span Nikola Jokic is averaging 26-12-9 on 58-36-82 splits while leading the Nuggets 205 wins. It’s as dominant as a stretch as any player has had over a four year period in history and puts him amongst the inner circle of all time greats.

I respect Jokic’s floaters, unsexy but damn effective

Joker is growing to be my favorite big man of all time. And I hope he goes back to back this year. He deserves it. No bs, no drama, just pure basketball skill and professionalism.

he uses his 3pt more as a threat rather than his main option. And i like it

I agree . Only because of Jokic I started watching some NBA again. Now Wemby as well, he just makes you sit on the edge of your seat.

He makes the right plays and makes his teammates better. And when all else fails, can take matters in his own hands.

Great analysis! When idiots say Larry Bird couldn’t play in today’s NBA, I point to Jokic. The guy is like Bird with McHale’s foot work except he has slightly more amazing passing.

didn't buy the hype at the start....but watching him the last 2 years......he is great.

I’m an old time NBA fan. I respect skilled centers who involve the rest of their team including, when Wilt led the league in assists, when Walton used skill to win the title in Portland, when Hakeem won back to back titles in Houston. They were the core of the offense, passing the ball, and had good inside and outside moves. Jokic deserves to be MVP.

Jokic reminds me of a bigger, even more skilled (plus an outside shot) Kevin McHale. Horribly unathletic looking, but an absolute beast around the rim, with moves that don't seem like anything and yet he just keeps pouring in buckets in an unstoppable way. He's unappreciated today because his game isn't "pretty" unless it's some crazy pass...just incredibly efficient.

"Find the open man who doesn't even know he's open." Perfect description.

As an old school, Yeah, Jokic is definitely old School baller. The man is all SKILLS, MASTER his fundamentals and his 3D view superb, he can see open places and pass to them like no one currently in the NBA

Watching Joker feels like watching Cap at his best. Those floaters and sky hooks are just unstoppable, and I love it. No more three point shooting nonsense

Jokic puts in the work. Year after year he has improved himself and brought his game to a new level. He lets his play do the talking. Any era of fans can appreciate that.

100% FACT. Love his skill set, demeanor and approach to the NBA.

Love Jokic. Deserved 3x MVP. Old school dude. Zero cockiness of today's starlets. Team player. What more you need?

I was just thinking how the jokers game reminds me of old-school basketball because it brings back the half court sets

because he's poving that even being built like a 90's player he's the best player in the world and shut the mouthes of all the "better stronger faster" theory

Luved it. I'm witch ya on every point made. This guy's just too much. And I like his attitude and manner on the court too. Humble, low profile, no hot-doggin, no shouting, no taunting other players. Seems like he's be a good guy to play with. You've got my vote. He's truly something

How he made Rudy to get called on traveling with just backing away is ridiculously smart. I actually think Joker is the heir to Bird. Big, slow, unathletic etc but yet because he is slow he is smooth and smooth is fast. Love watching him

Jokic revives a part of the legacy of Great NBA players of the 70&80's eras, as Walton, Bird and Magic. He also perfectly fit with an oldschool and at the same hypermodern version of the center position you can see in some old 60's NCAA offensive systems as UCLA and Princeton offense, which are reintroduced partly or totally in modern game. The serie against Minesota is also captivating because it opposes this legacy to the 90' Jordan's Legacy with Anthony Edwards. This Vintage-Modern blend is captivating to follow.

He will really leave a mark in history and i wouldnt be surprised to see him get 4-5mvps.. man yesterdays game, he was 40pt 0 turnover guy… oh man that is fire!!!!

As a 90s NBA fan, I enjoy watching the Denver Nuggets in the Playoffs. Minnesota, OKC, and Dallas are fun teams to watch, too.

Joker and the nuggets game is the reason why being on the other side of the pond I find myself setting my alarm clock to 3:30 am to watch a ball game. Something I haven’t done since being in college in late 90’s early 00’s. This series with the wolves has been one of the greatest for me in a long time. Props to the wolves defense on game 2 as well as it really reminded me of the 90's defense.

He has skills and is coachable; something that is missing in modern American basketball.🤔

I was born in the 90s. But watching 80s and 90s games were my hobbies back when i was 10 y.o. I always made time for it. I believe the show was called vintage NBA. I absolutely hate that my generation keeps saying that today's players are simply better when they havent watched a single game from the 80s. Jokic is the ultimate proof that it isnt the case. Jokic is a combination of magic and mchale and sometimes bird. Just elite court awareness and insane IQ to process it so fast and make a decision.

The Joker is my favorite player in today's NBA. He gives great effort, is an unselfish player, not making the headlines about him, and his game is fundamentally sound. I love watching him play. You also have to give the Nuggets credit for being patient with him and building the right kind of pieces around him.

Jokic is not a load-managing, entitled, diva. His humility is a breath of fresh air compared to most other NBA players today.

The short running jumper he does should be named after him. The Jokic Jumper.

Jokic and Edwards have the drive, skill and heart to pull the NBA out of this self-inflicted dark age and into something worth watching again. This serious between their teams is an example of that.

I’m an old school guy and always agree with all your videos and commentary. I am a die-hard Lakers fan but find myself loving watching Jokic and defending him against the haters

Jokić is a Centre with the Basketball IQ of a Guard, which makes him unstoppable

Bro, the playoffs are great for the first time in years 🎉 Coming back to watch regular season, finally

Awesome video. Jokic is truly one of the only modern-era players who executes in an "old school" way every aspect of the beautiful game of basketball.

Jokic and Doncic have basically shown that you can still be a GOAT without having to jump high in basketball.

The footwork and mini skyhook with the right hand he did to Gobert was nastyyyyyy

I completely agree. His basketball IQ is insane.

Denver fan here. Thank you so so much for giving our guy Joker some love. We are building something out here in Denver. We identified our needs and we are loyal. Lakers would have given up on Malone, MPJ, Murray and Jokic after 2020. We kept building. Love the channel subbed.

Magic said there would never be another Larry Bird, but Jokic is playing petty close.

1984-2017 laker fan here and if it wasn't for joker I probably wouldn't watch anymore NBA I hated the product and to much lebron everyday made me turn off the game I loved, joker has brought me back and boy when I say that man right there is a monster and what he is doing with a good lineup and no all star and no other award winners and dismantling the #1 defense and many award winners including the dpyo is just man i shed a tear.. I'm also glad he is humbling over the top obnoxious pampered NBA us players too. Maybe they will finally go back to the fundamentals like Kobe, Jordan, Duncan, bird, Hakeem, magic, Kareem, dirk etc

People who blame Jokic due to his defense are occasional or fan boys, after game 4 the so called "terrible defender" up against an historically great Minnesota defense was leading the series in blocks AND steals AND defensive rebounds. Absolutely amazing

We accept him because that dude is ballin

On defense, whatever speed Jokic lacks with lateral movement or his feet, he makes up with otherworldly hand quickness, hustle, and positioning his body.

Jokic and Edwards give me hope for the game.

100% agree; Jokic is like the 21st century Bird....

I always appreciated your videos. You know and understand basketball, this video is proof of that. I'm from Serbia and I love hearing praises for Nikola Jokić. If he wins second title he'll move well ahead Hakeem and Durant who made one of the wekest moves in NBA history by joining a team who beat him even though he had 3-2 lead. If he does not win any title till the rest of the carrier that's fine as well, people who know, truly know basketball will mention his name as the greatest European player to ever play in NBA and top 10 or 15 centers of all time.

I think we are witnessing how Arvydas Sabonis would've played in the NBA in his PRIME! Us old school fans really appreciate his humility though!

I am fascinated by his passing, each game you get passing highlight reel from him. Stepping up in important games, making ridiculous last second shots, footworking the heck out of anybody under the basket... And that contrast with visually unathletic complexion. Very entertaining player.

people have been sleeping on jokic's fitness... he's come so far since his roly poly days. he's pretty quick now, and can actually get in position on defense

i could careless about todays nba ... 80s and 90s WERE THE BEST ERA IMO

Love your content sir and totally agree as someone who grew up watching the MEGA POWERS of the center position in the 90s it so refreshing watching Jokic.

He could have played in any era

After the game on Tuesday, even ANT said Joker deserves the MVP and deserves his flowers. I thought that was so classy. As opposed to Shaq telling Joker live on air that SGA was more deserving of the MVP. Joker took the high road in that interview and said “You’re entitled to your own opinion “ man is classy 👏🏽

Agreed. Ant Edwards is also giving me old skool vibes.

Dude I swear you the best when it comes to nba basketball

I love the Joker! He is the best player or, at worst, the third best player in the NBA. He is the best passing center ever, and I think his defense is underrated. He is absolutely deserving of the MVP. You can make the argument that he should be an MVP four years in a row.

There was one play where he got an elbow to the jaw and didn't even flinch and complained for a flagrant. The dude's mentally in a different galaxy compared to most superstars that expect handouts from the refs.

Dude ate two flagrant 1 elbows to the face in game 5 alone (both from Gobert), never hit the court, never complained to the refs. dude is legit.

Have you seen the MPJ interview with the Nuggets owner about when Jokic came to Denver? He told his team had a 2 seasons analysis about the first 2 years in the NBA - and Player A surpassed player B in all categories. Player A was Jokic. Player B was - Larry Legend. :D

He plays like Larry Bird but on center position. That's why old basketball head can connect with Jokic, it's like seeing Larry play again

Man, your pronunciation of his name worms my heart. You sound like a Serb. Well done. 👍🏀

it's great playing with Jokic. No pressure since you just have to play smart basketball and he will give you the ball on the right time for an easy shot. He's not passing you the ball TO GET his assist like....And since his weakness are obvious and he's not lying about it, any team mate already knew what to do for the whole team to be better.

I loved NBA back in the days. Then I remember when I watched some highlights, I think it was 2019 or 2020 - James Harden and all these guys - it was just impossible to watch. Basically it was not basketball, it was like some parade of who can shoot 3s - no defense, no team play. Jokic is the reason I started watching NBA again. And it appeared that other teams, not just Denver started to play defense and team basketball. So no doubt Jokic is my man.

I wouldn't be surprised if Jokic ends up top 10 all time when its all said and done!

He plays hard, despite the narrative he does play BOTH ends without taking plays off. His fundamentals are historical, and he is just so clever how he uses his footwork and body to manifest spaces and passing lanes out of nowhere. He is for sure a guy that would be a force in any era... just like any of the all time greats.

He should be called Big Bird. Very nonchalant and he does anything to win. His passes are so shocking and well thought out. He's a 7' Larry Bird.

There are still people who question him around, saying he would not be good in the 90's. The only problem i see is defense in the post against other alltime big men but offensively he would still be amazing no question. A truly generational player.

This was clearly painful for you, but the truth is the truth... Great job! The guy is an all time great

He is a Post up point-center, it sounds ridiculous

Once Kareem Abdul Jabbar said Larry Bird 's brain was the muscle which impressed him the most.This could apply to the Joker .This guy is all about skills and basketball IQ when you love basketball you can't dislike his way to play

Jokic has the highest basketball IQ I have ever seen.

If you look at his advanced stats, he is playing at an all time elite level. If he gets a few more chips and continues being great for a few more years and he enters the GOAT discussion. I loveMJ but the numbers dont lie

I stopped following basketball years ago, but Jokic got this old head watching again. Great video.

What Jokic is doing to the fanciest more skillful league ever is just ridiculous. And anyone calling him unathletic, you try to move a 7ft tall body like his for 40 minutes, while maintaining the shoulder endurance to keep your accuracy on point....

The best player in the world the last 4 years

Great take on a remarkable player

Hi there! Thanks for your videos and your refreshing points of view! As for the question about whether the Joker would thrive in the 90's big men ecosystem, go watch Arvydas Sabonis clips from the Blazers, while keeping in mind that the man was basically running on club legs. Big men with great footwork, soft touch and high IQ were, are and will be unguardable. Good hoops have never been about raw athleticism.

Greatness appreciating greatness. Good on you, BTM.

He’s already a top ten center all-time at an early point in his career. He’s humble and so incredibly skilled. It’s hard not to like his game.

This series vs the wolves has shown me how much Jokic defense has improved. He might not be the best 1 on 1 defender but watching how he understands passing lanes on defense to get deflections and his timing when to swipe at the ball is really good!

Mr. david, I feel like you are my basketball brother from another mother. I agree with every single opinion you have on every video. Not trying to sound like a fan boy(since I am a half century plus 1)just that your take on the current NBA, the greats from the past. The GOAT 🐐 topic, everything! Thank you always for the content!

Not enough is said about Jokic's physical conditioning and stamina. At 6'11" he hustles up and down the floor like a gaurd and is rarely taken out of the game all while playing at a very high level.

Jokic brought me back to the NBA after writing it off years ago.