Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn ImagesJason BurgosSat, November 29, 2025 at 4:37 PM UTC·2 min readIs Nikola Jokic a better player than NBA legends Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant? Fellow league icon LeBron James gave the Denver Nuggets superstar a massive compliment this week.
When Jokic was the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, not much was expected of the Serbian big man. He was a project pick that didn’t even play in the 2014-15 NBA season. When he arrived in the league the following year, he certainly did not look the part of a potential star. He looked more like a seven-foot construction worker.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHowever, in his first three seasons, he showed continued development under coach Mike Malone and seemed like a player who could make an All-Star game here and there. Not bad for a former second-round pick. But in the 2018-19 season, he broke threw in a way that showed he was far more than that, and unexpectedly displayed the offensive brilliance of a top-20 NBA player.
Over the last seven years, Nikola Jokic has evolved into, arguably, the game’s best player. Winning not one, not two, but three NBA MVP awards. Going to seven All-Star games and carrying the Nuggets to their first championship in 2023. He is a monster on offense who can score inside, has endless range, and is an absolutely amazing passer, not just for a big man.
Nikola Jokic stats: 29.1 PPG, 12.6 RPG, 11.0 APG, 1.6 SPG, 63% FG, 44% 3PT
It has created a debate about his place among the greatest centers and players in league history. One man who has faced many great players and won is NBA icon LeBron James. During a new edition of his Mind the Game podcast, co-host Steve Nash asked James if Jokic is the best offensive player he’s ever faced because of the multi-level threat that he is. After some contemplation, LBJ’s answer was interesting.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“That’s a tough question. Oh my goodness,” James began by saying. “I will say this. There has not been a more dominant complete player that I’ve played against in the sense of all the attributes that you just mentioned. From the passing, to the shooting, the rebounding, to the attention. There’s nothing he can not do on the offensive end. Like nothing at all.”
James has played against some amazing players during his career. Current and future Hall of Famers like Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Kyrie Irving, Carmelo Anthony, and Dwayne Wade. While all of them were great scorers and some were great passers, it is fair to suggest that Jokic is more complete than all of them. If James says it, it has to be taken very seriously.
Nikola Jokic is off to another fantastic start in 2025. He is averaging a triple-double to begin the season and is shooting over 67% from the field over the last few weeks.
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