Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić won a fan award for his highlight reel play against the Milwuakee Bucks

May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (15) dribbles down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. May 18, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić (15) dribbles down the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second quarter during game seven of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center. / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Santi Aldama wasn’t afraid to address the elephant in the room.

Speaking with FIBA ahead of EuroBasket 2025, the Spanish forward was asked about one of the tournament’s premier stars in Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić. The comparison he gave was grandiose.

“He’s probably a combination of both (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Dončić),” Aldama said. “He always makes the right read. If he doesn’t have the ball, it is probably better for us.”

Jokić Wins Offseason Fan Award

Last season, Jokić averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game on 58 percent shooting from the field and 41.7 percent from 3. The Serbian center finished second in Most Valuable Player Award voting and led the Nuggets to a Game 7 showdown against the eventual Western Conference Champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

His efforts also earned him an offseason NBA fan award.

Per the NBA: “Nikola Jokić wins the 2025 NBA Fan Favorites Award for his no-look, over-the-shoulder pass voted by … the fans.”

This offseason, Jokić has enjoyed time off from basketball, most notably by attending several horse races. Meanwhile, Denver has worked on improving at the margins.

Without any draft capital over the summer, the Nuggets traded for Sacramento Kings center Jonas Valančiūnas to back up Jokić, and sent Michael Porter Jr. and a 2032 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson.

Per the Nuggets: “Johnson, 29, has appeared in 340 career games over six seasons with Phoenix and Brooklyn, averaging 12.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and two assists on 39 percent shooting from long range.”

Now, joining the Nuggets, this could be the ideal situation for Johnson to become the best version of himself, even if he isn’t putting up numbers like he did in Brooklyn last year.

“Johnson enjoyed a career year last season for the Nets, setting new career highs in starts (57), points per game (18.8), assists per game (3.4), minutes per game (31.6), field goal percentage (.475) and free throw percentage (.891),” the Nuggets added.

Denver Nuggets, Michael Porter Jr. Oct 29, 2024; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Denver Nuggets small forward Michael Porter Jr. (1) dribbles the ball up the court past Brooklyn Nets small forward Cameron Johnson (2) during the first half at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

As the Nuggets continue to upgrade their roster in preparation for another deep playoff run in the Western Conference, they’ll look to Johnson as a strong wing option with multi-level scoring.

They’ll also continue to rely on Jokić, who is likely to headline the MVP ladder once again. If all goes according to plan in Denver, his offseason fan award will be among the least of his accomplishments.