At the 2014 NBA Draft, when Nikola Jokic was named at No. 41, no one thought that the Denver Nuggets owned a top superstar. At that time, all the reviews for Jokic were just an athlete with average physicality, slow and unable to survive in the NBA.

Up to the present time, Nikola Jokic of course cannot compare with the physical toughness and flexibility of black athletes. However, the Serbian superstar possesses a superior soccer IQ and tactical vision in the form of a center forward, which helps him become a unique player in the world.

In the past 4 seasons, Nikola Jokic has brought in many triple-doubles in high-profile matches. There is nothing that Nikola Jokic cannot do, but there are a few factors that make Jokic’s seemingly simple moves become powerful weapons that cannot be stopped by the opponent’s defense.

Why is Nikola Jokic a simple but special player?

In this run, the top priority is to give the ball to Nikola Jokic close to the basket and let the Serbian superstar play a 1-1 situation with his back to the basket. This is Jokic’s favorite scoring position, with just a few simple techniques to eliminate opponents. According to NBA statistics, Jokic has an average of 1.11 points in each similar situation, a great conversion rate of 55.5%.

In recent seasons, the only player who can approach this number is Joel Embiid. Both Embiid and Jokic are the two top centers in the NBA.

With a height of 2m11 and a weight of up to 129kg, Nikola Jokic easily dominates situations close to the basket. If the marker is a smaller player, Jokic can simply use his body to overwhelm his opponent. If he were a player with a similar body shape, his ball control skills and flexible feet would be enough to help Jokic overcome a somewhat slower opponent. Not only that, Jokic also shoots very well with both hands, which makes him extremely difficult to predict in defensive situations.

This is something Jokic cannot do if he holds the ball at the top of the trapezoid or the 3-point line. But once he brings the ball close to the bottom of the basket and is in a back-to-back position, it is very difficult to stop the Serbian star.

However, Jokic is not a player who is only good at one trick. What helps him become the top center in the NBA and very difficult to stop is the tactical vision, observation ability, and passing IQ of a defender in the form of a center forward.

Looking back at the same running situation, Jokic received the ball near the edge of the trapezoid in a leaning position, glancing at his teammates. Realizing that there was a player cutting towards the basket, Jokic threw a simple ground pass to bring in an assist for himself.

This becomes even more scary, when with a height of 2m11, Jokic’s vision and passing range are very difficult to catch.

Jokic’s passing ability is something that cannot be evaluated with just two words “pretty good”. In NBA history, there are very few players of similar height who have superior vision and creating ability like the Serbian star. As mentioned, the height of 2m11, combined with vision and basketball IQ, helps Jokic’s passes be very damaging.

With the ability to score points in every position and the ability to pass the ball superbly, it can be said that marking Nikola Jokic 1-1 is impossible. If he keeps his distance, Jokic can throw a direct throw. If you get close, be ready to be passed or face a pass that tears apart the defense.

Not to mention, Jokic’s ability to launch passes is not only accurate, but also incredibly fast. According to NBA statistics, Jokic is the player who touches the ball the most in the 2023/24 season, but it only takes him an average of 2.7 seconds to make a tactical pass, or even a direct assist. Jokic’s ability to observe and perceive space has almost reached perfection.