At 29, Nikola Jokic is already one of the best big men in NBA history.
The man who was famously drafted during a Taco Bell commercial has revolutionized the center position and shown that virtual 7-footers can be just as lethal playmakers as their point guard counterparts.
The Denver Nuggets superstar is a one-time world champion and Finals MVP, as well as a three-time MVP (something only eight other players have achieved).
The Serbian is also a walking triple-double, recently moving past Hall of Famer Magic Johnson for third on the all-time triple-doubles list with 139.
For all his otherworldly talents and achievements, one particular stat shows how utterly ridiculous Joker’s impact on the game has been.
Jokic is the top player by PER in the history of basketball — ahead of six-time champion and consensus greatest of all time, Michael Jordan.
PER stands for Player Efficiency Rating, and is an advanced, all-in-one basketball metric which attempts to collect or boil down all of a player’s contributions into one number.
PER is a per-minute rating that measures a player’s productivity and impact on the game. It’s calculated by adding positive stats and subtracting negative stats using a point value system.
It was developed by former Memphis Grizzlies Vice President of Basketball Operations John Hollinger in the 1990s, and has been increasingly used over the past 10-20 years by analysts and the media who consider it the ‘godfather stat’ of advanced basketball analytics.
A player’s career PER above 20 is considered elite — Jokic is No. 1 all-time at a staggering 28.25 in the regular season and 29.17 in the playoffs.
To put that into perspective, ‘Air Jordan’ is 2nd all-time with a PER of 27.9 and 28.6 in the playoffs.
LeBron James, widely considered the second best player of all time, if not the best, is third with a career PER of 26.98.
4
4
PER is not without its critics, though. Some argue it has limitations in capturing a player’s overall impact on the game.
Nevertheless, it’s highly useful in capturing a player’s efficiency, production, and impact.
The fact Jokic is above the two greatest players in the history of the modern game — in one of the most important modern metrics –speaks volumes about his value and unique playing style which is virtually unprecedented for a big man.
“Damn, he will go down as an all-time player,” one fan commented.
“He is the best offensive player I’ve ever seen,” added another.
“Completely unstoppable, completely in control at almost all times, can’t double him, can’t single him, one of the most efficient volume scorers ever, three level, point god level passing, top 3 rebounder.”
“Truly one of the many great foreign passing big men on the nuggets over the past 30 years…”
4
The reigning MVP has been on a tear this season, too, recently putting up a Wilt Chamberlain-esque 100 points in 24 hours.
Jokic is on course for a fourth MVP as Denver goes from the best statistical offense in the NBA when he’s on the court to one of the worst without him.
The Nuggets have not been at the same level they were when they won it all in 2023, recently suffering an embarrassing loss to the 3-19 Washington Wizards, the worst team in basketball.
Mike Malone’s team are currently 7th in the Western Conference with a 12-10 record.
Jokic has continued to put up all-time performances, but unless the likes of Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Russell Westbrook step up, the Nuggets won’t be making any playoff noise.