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Nikola Jokic ranked insanely high on ESPN’s list

By Mathew Huff

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 11: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) takes the ball up the court in the regular-season finale vs the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. April 11, 2018 Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - APRIL 11: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) takes the ball up the court in the regular-season finale vs the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center in downtown Minneapolis. April 11, 2018 Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Joe Amon/The Denver Post via Getty Images) /
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ESPN recently released their top 100 NBA players coming into this season and the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic was ranked very high.

The Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic got a ton of credit from ESPN. For those who do not remember, Jokic was ranked 18th in Sports Illustrated’s top 100 NBA players coming into this season, but ESPN gave Jokic a lot more love.

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Jokic was ranked the 12th best player coming into this year and yes, this is out of all the players in the league, not just by a certain position. So, is this ranking fair?

I am going to warn you now, you are going to want to riot and hunt me down with this opinion, but I feel as if this is a bit high for the Joker. I personally believe Sports Illustrated got Jokic’s ranking right with him at the 18 spot. Why I do not agree with Jokic being the 12th best player coming into this year has to do with one reason.

He is not as adept on the defensive end as he should be quite yet. The guys Jokic is ahead of are proven two way players. Guys like Klay Thompson, Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Draymond Green. I like Jokic just as much as any Denver Nuggets fan, but we have to be objective.

Guys like Jimmy Butler, Klay Thompson and Paul George are still better as of right now. In the future, that could very well change, but Jokic needs to have more of an impact on the defensive end of the floor to go along with his great offensive game first. Per basketball reference, Jokic averaged only 0.8 blocks per game last season. Not a great number for a big man.

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All in all, we are all expecting a great season from the Joker and I hope that he can prove me wrong and show he is worth the 12th ranking he got from ESPN.

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