Hakeem Olajuwon On Why Nikola Jokic Is 'The One' In Today's NBA

Nikola Jokic has shown his quality over and over again, going from being ignored during the NBA Draft to becoming one of the best players in the world and the reigning back-to-back NBA MVP. 

The Serbian superstar somehow keeps getting better and while some legends like Kevin Garnett don't think he's the best player in the league, others really think Jokic is something special and one of the best stars right now. 

Hakeem Olajuwon knows a thing or two about centers and how impactful they can be for their teams. The Dream recognizes that Jokic has that special ingredient that places him above the rest of the competition in the NBA. 

Hakeem Olajuwon Sees A Special Player In Nikola Jokic 

During a recent interview with Chris Ballard of Sports Illustrated, the Houston Rockets legend talked about the current state of the NBA and the fact that the game at the post is pretty much dead if it wasn't for a specific player. Nikola Jokic is the one that enchants a lot of fans around the league, and Olajuwon seemingly belongs to that group. 

“The Joker,” Olajuwon says. “I love the Joker!”

The biggest reason someone like Olajuwon loves Jokić is that Jokić does it all, not with overwhelming athleticism and strength, like Giannis, but with craft and timing. With counters for his counters. “He’s playing the game, and you think he’s not serious, but he’s so effective,” marvels Olajuwon. “He doesn’t look strong, but I see he gets such deep post position. I think maybe it’s the mismatch, but then he does the same thing against bigger guys. His shot, his fakes, they are very difficult to time. You don’t know when he’s faking and when it’s real. He has tricks!”

Olajuwon nods. “He’s the one.”

Jokic has really evolved every season and now is one of the best players in the league, and even considered one of the best big men that has set foot on an NBA court, especially when it comes to passing the ball. Right now he's trying to lead the Denver Nuggets to the promised land, just like Hakeem did with the Houston Rockets in 1994 and 1995. The Serbian center is ready to take that next step and Olajuwon believes he's very capable of doing so.