Nikola Jokic may have hit back at his doubters after establishing himself as the league’s top player and leading the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 title. However, the ‘Joker’ did not make a good impression on Michael Porter Jr. during his first session with the squad.
In an exclusive interview with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report, MPJ jokingly said that he assumed Jokic was a ‘fat’ player and therefore thought Mason Plumlee was a better center than him.
“When I first got selected to Denver and saw him in training camp, I thought Mason Plumlee was superior to him. Do you understand what I mean? They were moving back and forth. “They were matching,” Porter Jr. informed Rooks. “I was like, ‘Wait, why did the Joker start over Mason?’ Because Joker was coasting a little bit. I think, ‘This dude is fat.’ But then they basically told me, ‘He could score 50 points every game if he wanted to.'”
Michael Porter, Jr. on Nikola Jokic
It’s no wonder that Jokic’s powers have improved season after season. From averaging 10.0 points per game as a rookie to 24.5 points and 11.8 rebounds per game in 2022-23, the two-time MVP has honed his flexibility and playmaking abilities to become a franchise cornerstone for Denver.
Porter Jr. praised Jokic’s work ethic and level of commitment despite winning MVP twice
“Even the year after he won MVP, he seemed to have an even better year, and some would argue that this year was his finest ever. So it was as if he was already MVP, and he was continuing to improve from there without being complacent. And it simply demonstrated his discipline and determination. Porter Jr. continued, “That’s when I realized how special he was.”
Unlike LeBron James and Draymond Green, who are openly outspoken locker room leaders, Jokic has a calmer demeanor that has misled the NBA world for years. However, his ability to move off the ball and lead his team on both sides of the court made him the best Center in the modern NBA.
MPJ will play a bigger role next season
Michael Malone’s team is not only young, but also in top condition to compete for another title, which is why the Nuggets were largely idle during 2023 free agency.
Furthermore, coach Malone operates a tight rotation, thus Denver’s depth is primarily for emergencies in the event that a big scorer is injured. The Nuggets have concentrated on internal development to increase their rotation, particularly with Christian Braun and Collin Gillespie still on the roster. Nonetheless, the organization added a dependable wing player who will come off the bench, 10-year veteran Justin Holiday.
With Bruce Brown moved to Indiana, MPJ will have the opportunity to develop into a stronger role player with Jamal Murray and Jokic.
In the 2023 playoffs, MPJ averaged 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game on a 42.3% shooting rate from the field and 35.1% from the 3-point line. It will be intriguing to see whether he can improve his trajectory.