Gregg Popovich Was Right About Denver Nuggets Star Nikola Jokic

Back in 2020, when Jokic was only a two-time NBA All-Star, San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich compared him to Hall of Famer Larry Bird.

Popovich (via Dime in 2020): "Jokic, he's like a reincarnation of Larry Bird. He does everything. He's amazing."

While those comments from Popovich are expected (in 2025), they were shocking at the time.

The legendary coach clearly has an eyes for talent, as he has helped lead the Spurs to five titles since the 1999 season.

The three-time MVP finished the 2024-25 regular season with averages of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.8 steals per contest while shooting 57.6% from the field and 41.7% from the three-point range in 70 games.

Via StatMuse: "Most playoff PPG + RPG + APG:

51.2 — Wilt
48.3 — Luka
47.4 — Jokic
45.7 — Russell
45.6 — Jordan
44.6 — LeBron"

During the 2023 season, Jokic led the Nuggets to their first NBA Championship.

Right now, they are the third seed in the Western Conference (and facing off against the LA Clippers in the first round of the playoffs).

Via NBA Communications: "The three finalists for the 2024-25 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award:

▪️ Giannis Antetokounmpo of @Bucks ▪️ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of @okcthunder ▪️ Nikola Jokić of @nuggets"