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Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic Receives Significant NBA Honor Ahead of 2025-26 Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Paul White | Last updated Sep 22, 2025 12:31 PM ET

Nearly every superstar in NBA history was taken in the first round near the top of the draft. But for the first time ever, the best player in the league doesn’t even come from the first round.

The Denver Nuggets selected center Nikola Jokic with a second-round pick, and although it took a while for him to realize his potential, he is now generally viewed as the best player in the league by a wide margin.

Jokic now has a title and three MVPs under his belt, so it’s hard to rank anyone above him, and the league seems to recognize that.

20 anonymous coaches, scouts and executives were polled this summer on who the best player in the NBA is; all but one said Jokic.

In ESPN’s recent offseason survey, Nikola Jokic was voted as the best player in the NBA right now:

Jokic — 19 votes
Luka — 1 vote
SGA — 0 votes

“As long as he’s walking and breathing, it should be him.” pic.twitter.com/f9JDrxL5Kb
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 22, 2025

Just this past season, the Serbian star became the first center in league history to average a triple-double, with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game on the season.

Jokic leaves a bit to be desired on the defensive end, but there is a faction of fans who believe he is the greatest offensive player in history, nullifying his weaknesses.

He currently has three MVP awards, but many people believe voter fatigue is the reason he doesn’t have more.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander won the award last season, largely due to his team’s dominant record, but Jokic obviously had a tremendous argument for it.

Just a couple years ago, there were debates over whether Jokic was even the best center in the league, constantly being pitted against Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid.

Unfortunately, injuries and lack of playoff success have made the conversation futile, so Jokic reigns supreme.

The Nuggets came just one game short of knocking off the Thunder, who eventually won the NBA Finals, so Denver knows they have what it takes to win again.

With Jokic on their team, they know that they will always have a chance to win, they just need to fill in the gaps on a roster that is loaded with core talent.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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