"When you talk about big men, I mean, I think of Shaq when he dominated" - Former Dunk Contest winner believes Nikola Jokic should get due credit in biggest European basketball star conversation
According to Vince Carter, Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is the biggest European basketball star. The former All-Star and Slam Dunk Contest winner acknowledged Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic as popular choices. However, he couldn’t pick against the reigning back-to-back MVP.
On a recent episode of The VC Show, Carter shared his thoughts on Europe’s biggest star.
“Yeah, there's a lot of people saying Giannis is the best in the game or right there with the best in the game, and Luka is doing what Luka does," Carter said. "But right now it’s weird, I'm gonna say it's weird to me when you talk about big men. I mean, I think of Shaq when he dominated, he was absolutely considered one of the best in the game."
"I think right now, how can you not give credit to the reigning MVP. He's a superstar in his own right because he's not the flashy guy, but he gets it done. He gets it done”
Strangely, it's a controversial take to call Nikola Jokic the best European player or the best basketball player after his recent accomplishments. He has won back-to-back MVPs and been producing at a historic level.
Last season, Jokic became the first player in NBA history with two thousand points, one thousand rebounds and 500 assists in a single season. He was also the only player in the NBA to finish in the top ten in points per game, rebounds per game and assists per game last season.
But perhaps Jokic's biggest achievement was how much he elevated a banged-up Denver Nuggets team with no complimentary star. The Nuggets finished with a 48-34 record despite their second-leading scorer being Aaron Gordon. He averaged 15 points per game. The Nuggets also finished with three fewer wins than Giannis' Bucks despite having less talent.
Perhaps if Jokic were a flashier high-flying player, more people would consider him the best European player. However, there is no denying that Vince Carter is right in his assessment that Jokic gets the job done.
How far can Nikola Jokic lead a healthy Denver Nuggets team in 2023?
The Denver Nuggets won 48 games last season, despite Jamal Murray missing the entire season and Michael Porter Jr. playing only nine games. Their banged-up roster could not defeat the eventual NBA Champions, the Golden State Warriors. The Nuggets lost in the first round, 4-1.
However, a healthy Nuggets team with their big three of Jokic, Murray, and Porter should be much more competitive.
The Nuggets have also added some key veterans in Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Bruce Brown. The last time the Nuggets had a healthy roster with good depth was in the 2019-2020 season. They made it to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the eventual NBA Champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.
So if everything clicks this season, the Nuggets look like a dark horse pick to potentially win the West.