3 ways in which Nikola Jokic has changed the center position for the future generation of NBA players

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets walks off the court after having a word with Cameron Payne #15 of the Phoenix Suns after Jokic was ejected from the game in Game Four of the Western Conference second-round playoff series at Ball Arena on June 13, 2021 in Denver, Colorado.

Nikola Jokic has shown everyone the new possibilities for a center and how evolved his game can be by winning the 2020-21 NBA Most Valuable Player award.

The role of centers in the NBA has been heavily downplayed over the years in the media by scouts and analysts. They had claimed that the center position was drawing to its end, except players in that position began to stop threes from going in.

Congrats to Nikola Jokic, the first center to win MVP since Shaq in 1999-00 https://t.co/jfzIfaX8xw

The following are ways he has changed the center position for the future generation of NBA players.

Ways in which Nikola Jokic has changed the center position

Emphasis on passing

Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets looks to pass the ball against Hassan Whiteside #21 of the Portland Trail Blazers in the fourth quarter during their season opener at Moda Center on October 23, 2019 in Portland, Oregon.

One of the ways in which Jokic has elevated the role of the center is by his love for finding his teammates on the floor. He has led his team in assists every season for the past four seasons and is the best passing big man in NBA history with 6.0 assists per game with his famous no-look pass, surpassing Chamberlain's record of 4.4 assists per game.

SI Daily Cover: Nikola Jokic didn't become the NBA's best passing big by accident.

He was raised to do it, adhering strictly to The Serbian Way: trib.al/CNmN81A https://t.co/7r4QSSD3hE

Jokic was the third-best leader in assists in the 2020-21 NBA season, with Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook recording more. He was the 7th in the league in the 2019-20 season, but another amazing thing to note is that he was the only center amongst the top 20 in both seasons.

When asked about the big man's passing game, his teammate Jamal Murray had this to say.

“His passing is what makes him so different from everybody else,” Jamal Murray said. "His, not just willingness to pass, but like he wants to pass. He wants to find you. He wants to look this way and throw it that way. That’s the beauty he finds in the game. And at the same time if you leave him on the island he can score. Such a tough cover.”