Nikola Jokic (16)
The first player to appear on ESPN’s list wearing the light blue and gold is Nikola Jokic. The Serbian big man was featured on last year’s list at number 42. This year “The Joker” is considered one of the NBA’s elite. Coming in at number 16, Nikola Jokic is ranked the third best center in the league.
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Jokic made an enormous splash last season quickly getting everyone’s attention as he facilitated Denver’s offense. The third year pro had the eighth best player efficiency rating, and ranked fourth in triple doubles last season. Jokic’s ability to do everything on the court makes a him a nightmare for defenses, and could make Jokic an all-star in the competitive west this season.
Among Nuggets fans it is no surprise that “The Joker” is ranked this high, but on the national landscape this could be a shock to some. It’s nice to see a Nugget get well deserved national recognition as a top 20 player in the league. After nearly averaging a double-double and close to five assists a game while only playing about 28 minutes per game, It’s no surprise to see Jokic make the big jump in the rankings.
Player I am surprised he is ahead of: Demarcus Cousins (17)
Player I am surprised he is behind: Rudy Gobert (14)