10. Nikola Jokic
When the Denver Nuggets selected Nikola Jokic 41st overall in the 2014 NBA draft, not even they anticipated that he’d shape into the superstar that he has now become. Five summers later and Nikola Jokic is a top 10 player in the NBA.
Last season Jokic averaged just over 20 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. He put up those impressive numbers in just 31.3 minutes per game, to make it all the more impressive. On top of all that, he propelled his team into the NBA playoffs for the first time in seven seasons, where they entered as the number two seed.
Jokic is well-deserving of being recognized as a top 10 player in the league, as he proved to be a true leader on a winning team this past season.
Currently holding Jokic back from surpassing other players on this list is his poor defense and lack of athleticism. He’s wonderful on the offensive end but is a liability on defense. This is proven by Jokic never having averaged a full block per game. On the contrary, Jokic does have relatively quick hands for a big man. The Joker averaged 1.4 steals per game last season.
Fortunately for Jokic, Coach Malone has found a way to integrate Jokic’s below-average defense into the Denver Nuggets’ system without it hurting the team too much.
We’ve yet to see the best of the 24-year-old Nikola Jokic, which is scary given how talented he already is. He may never become the best big man in the league, but he will certainly remain atop the majority of NBA bigs despite his poor defense and lack of athleticism.