Bill Simmons believes that Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is on his way to being considered a top 10 player in NBA history. In the latest episode of “The Bill Simmons” podcast , Simmons explained what would winning back-to-back titles mean for “The Joker’s” legacy.
“At that point, it’s him against Moses, Shaq and Hakeem. We start arguing about what territory he’s in,” Simmons said. “The spot Jokic can get to is Duncan, Bird, Magic territory. The 5,6,7,8 range. He’s got 3 MVPs in the last four years and finished second in the other year. He’s the favorite to win back-to-back titles. It’s like the opposite of [Joel] Embiid because there’s something so insanely durable about him.”
It’s Jokic’s league
If you’ve been listening to Simmons for quite some time now, it’s easy to label him as a prisoner-of-the-moment type of analyst from time to time. But to be fair to him, he makes a lot of sense in saying that the Nuggets superstar could potentially end up as a top 10 player of all time. After all, Jokic is only 29 years old and already has two MVPs and a championship under his belt. On top of that, he’s also the favorite to win this year’s MVP award and lead the Nuggets to promise land once again.
For Simmons, what makes Jokic 's run so special right now is that he’s been playing at an elite level for the last four years and has shown no signs of slowing down. That alone makes this run very meaningful because there’s no player that’s been able to top that in the last decade.
“We haven’t really seen any Jokic injuries that I can remember. He played 79 games this year. He’s going to play 20 to 25 playoff games and will come back next year. Duncan was pretty durable too, some guys are just durable. But I think that’s where he ends up, he’s just that good and it’s justified. The stats back it up,” Simmons added.
Potential dynasty
In a decade where most analysts and fans believed that there’s more parity now in the NBA, the Nuggets continue to prove that they’re just above everyone else. Remember, no team has won back-to-back championships since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, as there’s been a new champion every year. The Nuggets seem like the team that’s going to change that pattern, barring any injuries. Led by Jokic, Denver might just be the next great dynasty in the making.
The most incredible part about the Serbian center’s resume, which includes multiple All-Star appearances, MVP awards, and a championship, is that it’s going to continue piling up. By the time the Joker hangs it up, Simmons thinks he’ll be considered a top five player the sport has ever seen.
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