Oct 23, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball as. Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) defends during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images Bob Kupbens-Imagn Images

David Adelman Believes Nikola Jokic Can Be NBA’s Next Torchbearer

Originally posted on Denver Nuggets on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Oct 25, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The one question that's been buzzing around NBA fans within recent years as some of the league's top-rated superstars and icons continue to get older and closer to retirement is who could be the next player to stand out as the "face of the league."

An ever-evolving, pretty subjective argument that likely won't get a conclusion until those top stars like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant officially decide to hang it up and hand over the reins to someone else to stand out as the biggest name the sport has to offer.

For Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic, he, on paper, is certainly in that discussion to do so. He's the most talented player in the NBA who's been top-two in MVP voting for the past half-decade, and at just age-31, has a route to continue that dominance for the next several years so long as he's healthy.

Yet, Jokic hasn't quite been the runaway favorite to capture that "next face of the league" title, even while he's been wowing fans across the past five years, for whatever reason that may be. Perhaps its his quieter, reserved demeanor compared to other stars, a lack of high-flying, explosive dunks, or another factor.

However, if you were to ask Nuggets head coach David Adelman, he's more than confident his MVP big man can be a "torchbearer" of the league moving forward, considering how he's grown across the past decade.

"He’s in a good mental state. He’s 10 years in now. And like everybody else, he’s grown up — not to mention he’s not from the United States. So his voice has grown. His confidence has grown. He knows the league. He knows the faces in the league," Adelman said in an interview with The Athletic.

" I think he feels empowered to speak. It’s not that he didn’t feel empowered to play and win MVPs and be the best player in the world. But now I think he feels empowered to be one of the torchbearers of the league."

David Adelman Says Jokic Can Be a Torchbearer of the NBA

Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

With a decade of tenure in the NBA and with the Nuggets under his belt, Jokic is in a vastly different place from where he started his career as a second round pick.

Not just in terms of his talent and skill level, but his confidence and ability to be a vocal leader as well. He's been in the same facility for the past decade in Denver, has continued to show strides in his development and getting better, even in the midst of his MVP-caliber seasons.

Now, it's clear he's comfortable, confident, and ready to take on whatever comes next––including being among those at the NBA's pinnacle of stardom and fame.

Perhaps that continued growth can develop into Jokic being among the few able to carry the weight of being one of the premier faces of the NBA once this era of superstars are gone. But in terms of the eye-test, he certainly passes for those tuned into the magic that the Joker puts together on a nightly basis.