Nikola Jokic may have responded to his skeptics after establishing himself as the league’s best player and leading the Denver Nuggets to the 2023 championship. However, the ‘Joker’ did not make a positive impression on Michael Porter Jr. during his first practice with the team.
Michael Porter Jr. was not pleased with Nikola Jokic following his first Nuggets practice.
In an exclusive interview with Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report, MPJ joked that he thought Jokic was a ‘fat’ player and hence Mason Plumlee was a better center than him.
“When I was initially selected to Denver and saw him in training camp, I thought Mason Plumlee was better than him. Do you know what I mean? They were moving back and forth. “They were matching,” Porter Jr. told Rooks. “I said, ‘Wait, why did the Joker start over Mason?'” 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
NBA 2023: news, scores, results, Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets, ladder, video, statistics, Luka Doncic
It’s no surprise that Jokic’s abilities have grown year after year. 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 perfected his versatility and playmaking skills to become Denver’s franchise cornerstone.
Porter Jr. commended Jokic’s work ethic and level of commitment despite winning the MVP twice.
Michael Porter Jr. on Nikola Jokic: ‘I don’t know how you can argue he’s not the best big man ever.’ – HoopsHype
“Even the year after he won MVP, he appeared to have an even better year, and some would argue that this year was his best ever. So it was as if he was already MVP, and he was building on that without being complacent. And it simply showed his discipline and dedication. Porter Jr. went on, “That’s when I realized how special he was.”
Unlike LeBron James and Draymond Green, who are overtly vocal locker room leaders, Jokic has a more reserved persona that has fooled the NBA world for years. However, his ability to move off the ball and lead his team on both sides of the floor propelled him to the top of the modern NBA center rankings.
Jokic and Porter propel Nuggets over Raptors | theScore.com
MPJ will have a bigger role next season.
Michael Malone’s club is not only young, but also in excellent shape to compete for another championship, which is why the Nuggets remained relatively dormant during 2023 free agency.
Furthermore, coach Malone runs a tight rotation, thus Denver’s depth is mostly for emergencies in the event that a key scorer is hurt. The Nuggets have prioritized internal development to expand their rotation, especially with Christian Braun and Collin Gillespie still on the roster. Nonetheless, the franchise got 10-year veteran Justin Holiday, a reliable wing player who will come off the bench.
With Bruce Brown’s move to Indiana, MPJ will have the opportunity to grow into a bigger role player alongside Jamal Murray and Jokic.
In the 2023 playoffs, MPJ averaged 13.4 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, shooting 42.3% from the field and 35.1% from three. It’ll be interesting to see whether he can improve his trajectory.