"I can't, Fuuuuuuuu ...' - Nikola Jokic faced torture when he came to the US for the first time as he couldn't hold the plank for more than 20 seconds
When Nikola Jokic was drafted by the Denver Nuggets, there were some concerns regarding his physique and lack of athleticism. Despite Jokic clearly being a talented big man with exceptional passing skills, most NBA executives passed on him, as they didn't believe he could cut it in the NBA.
In 2019, ESPN reporter Ohm Youngmisuk wrote about how Nikola Jokic struggled physically upon entering the NBA, as his body wasn't in the shape required to be an impactful NBA player.
"The 7-footer weighed about 292 pounds when he arrived and looked "soft" to one of the Nuggets' conditioning coaches," Youngmisuk wrote. "Jokic was asked to test his core strength with a plank exercise, which requires the subject to hold a push-up position with forearms flat on the floor for as long as possible."
Jokic recalled the experience during a 2019 interview with Youngmisuk, noting how he "died" during the planking exercise:
"I died! I died," Jokic said. "I was shaking. I said 'I can't.' I said, 'fuuuuuuuu ...'"
Throughout his years in the NBA, Nikola Jokic has dealt with many doubters as people continued to question his body size and lack of athleticism. Yet, the "Joker" has remained true to his training and exercise regime and has grown into the best basketball player in the world right now.
Yet, rather than basing his game off explosiveness or strength, Nikola Jokic leans on his basketball IQ, feel for the game, and exceptional processing speed. You won't see Jokic exploding off two feet or sprinting the lane; instead, he will angle his body to take you out of a play or hit a pass you didn't even know was open.
Nevertheless, it's clear that Nikola Jokic has improved his fitness in recent years, and that has allowed him to sustain long stretches of dominant play on an NBA court.
Nikola Jokic is going to change the NBA: Mike Greenberg
According to NBA analyst Mike Greenberg, who was speaking on the June 14 episode of ESPN's 'Get Up', Nikola Jokic is going to have a similar impact on the NBA as Stephen Curry.
"I think Nikola Jokic is going to do for the NBA something similar to what Steph Curry did for the game a decade ago... The 7'1" point guard is going to be what everybody in the NBA wants... He's gonna change the sport."
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"I think Nikola Jokic is going to do for the NBA something similar to what Steph Curry did for the game a decade ago," Greenberg said. "The 7'1" point guard is going to be what everybody in the NBA wants. He's gonna change the sport."
Stephen Curry is often cited as a primary reason why the NBA adopted a more 3-point-heavy offensive outlook.
As Curry's incredible shotmaking forced the rest of the league to adapt, Greenberg believes we will likely see more cerebral yet athletically limited big men get given a chance by teams around the league as front offices begin to search for the next Nikola Jokic.
However, finding another player with Jokic's skillset won't be easy. After all, it's the way Jokic reads and sees the game that makes him such an elite player, and oftentimes, that isn't something one can teach.