This is NOT the same Nikola Jokic!
How does a three-time MVP, Finals MVP, and NBA champion make a leap this massive?
How does the so-called “best player in the world” somehow come back this much better in year 10 of his career?
I don’t know.
Yeah — me neither.
I honestly don’t have an answer.
But we’re watching it happen right in front of us this season with Nikola Jokić in Denver.
In a career that was already all-time great, Jokic returned in year 10 and somehow… took it to another level.
So what makes this season so special?
You already know. Let’s break it down.
Jokic Through His First 9 Seasons
Over his first nine NBA seasons, Jokic averaged:
22 points
11 rebounds
7 assists
On shooting splits of:
56% FG
36% from three
82% from the line
Not bad at all, right?
From His First MVP Season (2020) Until Now
If we isolate Jokic’s production starting with his first MVP season in 2020:
26 points
12 rebounds
9 assists
On 58% – 37% – 82% shooting splits.
During that span, Jokic:
Won 3 MVPs
Won an NBA championship
Made All-NBA First Team every single season
And yet — as insane as it sounds — this season looks even better.
Let me show you just how ridiculous this is.
This Season’s Numbers: Completely Unreal
So far this season, Jokic is averaging:
29 points (7th in the NBA)
13 rebounds (1st)
11 assists (1st)
He’s shooting 69% inside the arc, ranking 8th in the league.
👉 But here’s the catch:
The seven players above him are all low-usage role players.
Meanwhile, Jokic has made more shots than all of them have even taken.
👉 That level of efficiency on superstar volume simply does not exist.
Shooting Efficiency: Nearly Perfect
79% at the rim
66% from 4–14 feet
81% from mid-range to the three-point line
👉 Jokic has missed just three mid-range jump shots all season.
Three.
Every single one of these marks is a career high.
The Ridiculous Games
26 points on 80% shooting vs. Golden State
35 points on 85% shooting in Sacramento
25 points with only one miss vs. Minnesota
And maybe the wildest of all:
👉 55 points vs. the Clippers
18 made field goals
Only six even touched the rim
Twelve were pure swishes
And remember — this was against Ivica Zubac, a Second Team All-Defense center last season.
It’s Not Just Scoring
40% from three
86% from the free-throw line
Both would be the second-best marks of his career.
👉 This is one of the greatest shooting starts to a season ever, not just for a big man — but for any player.
The Passing: Even More Absurd
Jokic leads the NBA in:
49% of his team’s made baskets assisted
👉 Meaning:
If Jokic isn’t scoring
Half of Denver’s points come directly from his passes
He’s ahead of:
LaMelo Ball
Josh Giddey
👉 Both point guards — and Jokic leads them by six percentage points.
He has 35 more total assists than second place, and the next 12 players on the list are all guards.
A One-Man Ecosystem
Best scoring season of his career
Best passing season of his career
Usage rate only 17th in the NBA
👉 Half of Denver’s offense is either:
Scored by Jokic
Created by Jokic
👉 This isn’t an offensive system.
It’s a one-man ecosystem.
Why Is Jokic Even Better at 30?
The answer is simple:
👉 For the first time ever, Jokic has a perfect roster around him.
Previously:
Jokic had never played with an All-Star
No teammate had ever received a single All-NBA vote while playing with him
👉 That’s changing this season.
The Best Supporting Cast of His Career
Aaron Gordon: best season of his career
Jamal Murray: best start to a season he’s ever had
Christian Braun: elite role player and defender
Impactful New Additions
Tim Hardaway Jr.: confident shooter, perfect Jokic fit
Bruce Brown: looks like he never left
Cam Johnson: finding rhythm
Jonas Valančiūnas: the best backup center Jokic has ever had
👉 As a result:
Jokic and the core are getting real rest
No fear of the team collapsing when he sits
The Result?
Denver has the second-best record in the West
Jokic is off to the best start of his Hall of Fame career
He still:
Walks slowly
Barely jumps
Looks like he just left a Sunday barbecue
👉 But make no mistake.
This is not the same Nikola Jokic.
This version is:
Rested
Fully equipped
Locked in for another championship run
