Those plays also illustrate his mid-range touch, which is among the best in the NBA. He ultimately developed a new unorthodox move that would later torment defenses.ġ4.
“ Somber shuffle.” How many MVPs created their signature move because of an injury? While rehabbing his left ankle, Jokic tried not to put weight on his compromised foot as he got shot ups in practice. Who knew he had a little Robin Lopez in him.ġ3. If only there was footage, but Jokic once ripped the head off a Koala mascot and wore it during a spirited child basketball game. “He sent me a picture,” Nuggets president Tim Connelly said last June. It’s uncommon for an MVP to transform his body in the way Jokic did, reportedly shedding around 30 pounds when he first came to the states, then slimming down even more during the NBA stoppage. Finding a center who runs effective pick-and-rolls as the ball handler isn’t something you see every night, unless you’re in the Mile High City:ġ1. The 6-foot-11 Serbian can score in the interior - he finished second in points scored via post-ups - but he skillfully operates as a playmaker in Denver’s offense. This season he accounted for over 40% of the field goals his teammates made while he was on the court, which is the highest assist percentage in NBA history from a center.ġ0. In the eyes of many, Jokic is the best passing big man the league has ever seen. He played before Barcelona representatives and the signing of the contract was postponed.”ĩ. “An unfortunate event happened in his last game before signing the contract, which proved to be a blessing in disguise. “A deal with Barcelona was in place,” Jokic’s agent said.
#NIKOLA JOMIC TOP PLAYS PROFESSIONAL#
While continuing to play in Europe as an NBA Draft pick, Jokic nearly signed with another professional basketball club instead of joining the team that drafted him. The Nuggets would subsequently promise to select the Serbian prospect at pick 41 if he reentered the Draft pool.Ĩ. Nikola Jokic, 95, withdraw his name from the draft. Roughly two weeks before the 2014 NBA Draft, Jokic’s name was temporarily removed from the pool of candidates, a decision his agent tweeted about at the time. Jokic has been durable throughout his NBA career, but he once missed a week of practice and a couple of games overseas due to inflammation in his right hand - a quirky cost of signing too many autographs for fans.ħ. The carbonated beverage was Jokic’s addiction, which he quit while on his flight to Denver.Ħ. It’s not common for a future NBA superstar to drink three liters of Coke every day before practice. Jokic, as he recalls, was asleep during the moment.ĥ. Name another MVP that was drafted during a Taco Bell commercial. The second-round pick continued to play overseas after the Nuggets selected him in the 2014 draft.Ĥ. Jokic is the first MVP winner to spend the year he was drafted playing in another basketball league. Jokic was 17 when he became a pro, leaving home to join KK Mega Basket.ģ. Jokic signed with Raznatovi‘s agency and became a professional shortly after.Ģ. Jokic was playing for a small club in Serbia when European’s most famous basketball manager, Miodrag ‘Misko’ Raznatovi, took notice of him through a box score in a newspaper. In a nod to his Draft spot, we created a compilation of 41 fun facts, interesting stats and incredible plays to help explain the narrative of Jokic’s uniqueness.ġ. The most unique and unprecedented fact about Nikola Jokic, at least in terms of his status as a Kia MVP, is where he landed in the Draft.Ī total of 40 players went ahead of him, making Jokic the lowest Draft pick in NBA history to win the Most Valuable Player award. See Nikola Jokic's unlikely journey to becoming the 2020-21 Kia MVP.
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