Denver Nuggets: What really makes Nikola Jokic special

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is truly one of a kind. But what really makes him special?

The word unicorn gets thrown around a lot nowadays. But it’s not completely unwarranted.

Front offices are leaving no rocks unturned on their quest for the next NBA superstar, and they’re finding more hidden gems than ever.

A perfect example: Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic. The 7’0” Serbian was taken with the 42nd overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft — and has since blossomed into a top-15 player in the league.

He’s never going to blow anybody away with his athleticism.

He lumbers down the court, yet still manages to lead the fastbreak better than most point guards. And he never gets more than four inches off the ground, yet still leads the Nuggets in rebounding with 10.8 per game.

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His stats are impressive — 20.4 points, 10.8 rebounds and 7.6 assists are nothing to scoff at. And his 12 triple-doubles this season are second to just Russell Westbrook. But they only scratch the surface.

Jokic is the heart and soul of this Nuggets offense. He’s second on the team in usage percent — behind only Isaiah Thomas — at 27.4 percent. His 16.2 wins over replacement this year leads the Nuggets — and ranks third in the league behind only James Harden and Giannis Antetokounmpo.

He’s also by far the best passing big man in the league. So let’s start there.

Passing

Jokic’s 7.6 assists per game are pretty impressive, ranking him seventh in the league and first among all centers.

He leads the Nuggets in assist percentage at 37.9 percent — way ahead of second place Jamal Murray at 22.3 percent.

Most of his passes result in open looks — and Murray has often been the benefactor.

He’s always looking to get the ball down the court. Most times it’s starting a fastbreak off a rebound with a Bill Walton-sequel outlet pass, but not always.

This assist to Malik Beasley — with just over a minute left — against Minnesota on Feb. 2 effectively sealed the win for the Nuggets — it also notched him a triple-double.

He’s also not afraid to get flashy. Let’s not forget this gem from the preseason.

Here are a few more favorites.

Running the pick and roll with Plumlee.

And behind the back for good measure.

The NBA hasn’t seen a center with Jokic’s vision in a long time — if it’s ever seen one. But Jokic isn’t averaging 20-plus points a game for no reason — he can score the ball.

Scoring

Jokic leading the Nuggets in scoring is no surprise. The way he does it is what’s surprising.

He’s never going to beat somebody off the dribble with a quick first step. And he’s never going to rise up over anybody and throw it down at the rim.

So he has to be crafty. He has a number of drop steps, spin moves and pump fakes in his arsenal to get the best shot at the rim — despite not using his left hand much outside layups.

Plus, he’s about as sure from the charity stripe as any center in the league, shooting over 80 percent every year since joining the league.

He’s also developed a nice touch from behind the 3-point line — though he has struggled from distance this year, shooting just 32.4 percent. He approached 40 percent last year, knocking down 3’s at a 39.6 percent clip.

He’s shooting 68.5 percent on shots inside three feet, up from last year. He’s also getting more opportunities at the rim off second-chance points.

Speaking of which.

Rebounding

Another stat in which Big Honey leads the Nuggets. Both his 10.8 rebounds and 2.9 offensive rebounds per game lead the team.

And again, he’s doing it with a severe disadvantage in the athleticism category. So, he relies on positioning and hustle.

Yet, he still comes in 12th in the league in rebounds per game and offensive rebounds.

Defense

Jokic’s defensive woes have been well documented. But, as I touched earlier this month, he’s made huge strides as a defender since coming into the league.

Jokic leads the Nuggets regulars with a defensive rating of 105 — tied with Mason Plumlee and Paul Millsap.

He’s also already surpassed his career-best mark in defensive win shares with 3.1 this season.

And as good as Jokic has been throughout games, he’s even found another level in crunch time — much like the Nuggets defense in general. Of players with 25-plus games inclutch situations, Jokic leads the league with a defensive rating of just 89.5.

Jokic will likely never be a great defender — his athletic ability may cap him at average — but his baksetball IQ and quick hands keep him afloat.

Dunking

It’s well-known among Nuggets fans that Jokic is one of the best dunkers in the league. He only solidified that status with this rim rocker against the Timberwolves Tuesday.

Of course, I kid. But here’s his eighth dunk of the season.

Maybe not Dunk contest worthy, but enough to get Nuggets fans going.

Jokic is still just 24 years old and has already blossomed into an All-Star. If he keeps improving like he has every season up to this point, the sky is the limit.