"Probably why I'm sitting here": Warriors ex "GM" Bob Myers critiques himself on-air over Nikola Jokic's draft stock
Former Golden State Warriors general manager and now ESPN analyst Bob Myers admitted that it never crossed his mind to look at what Nikola Jokic had to offer during the draft process in 2014, and he said he was wrong for doing so.
The analyst made the admission during Game One of the opening-round NBA playoff series between the Denver Nuggets and LA Lakers on Saturday, where 'The Joker' had a huge game to lead the Mile High City team to a 114-103 victory.
Myers said on-air that Nikola Jokic was not on their radar during the 2014 NBA draft, and with the benefit of hindsight, they were unwise for doing so. He said:
"I don't even remember a conversation about Nikola Jokic [during the draft process]. That's probably why I'm sitting here with you."
Almost all of the field passed up on Nikola Jokic as he dropped to the second round of the draft, selected 41st overall by the Nuggets.
The 29-year-old has been stellar for Denver since, helping the team to get back to consistent competitiveness, punctuated by winning the NBA title last season and being named back-to-back MVP in 2021 and 2022 while earning six NBA All-Star selections to date.
Meanwhile, it bears noting that back in 2014, Myers and the Warriors had no draft picks and were angling to improve themselves through trades for veteran players.
But still, they went on to achieve great heights after that, winning four NBA titles (2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022).
Myers stepped down as Warriors president and GM when his contract expired last June.
Nikola Jokic says Nuggets still need to improve despite victory over the Lakers in Game One
Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets defeated the LA Lakers in their first-round playoff series opener on Saturday. But seeing how they struggled in the opening half, he said they still need to work on certain facets of their game if they are to make things happen in the postseason.
The Serbian superstar was at the forefront of the Nuggets' 114-103 Game One victory over the Lakers, finishing with 32 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists.
The win, however, did not come easy for Denver as it struggled to find its game early on, which did not sit well with its team MVP, who said in the postgame interview, by way of Sports Illustrated:
"They got the lead in the first half, we were down three at halftime, and the mindset needed to change. I think our defense in the second half was amazing, and that's how we need to play if we want to do something."
Apart from Jokic, his fellow Nuggets starters also delivered in Game One, with Jamal Murray finishing with 22 points and 10 assists, Michael Porter Jr. adding 19 points, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 12 points and Aaron Gordon had a double-double of 12 points and 11 rebounds.
Game Two of the Nuggets-Lakers series is on Monday in Denver.