Diving into just how good Nikola Jokic truly is

Advanced Metrics

Many players have managed to produce double-doubles, and some have even dished out assists. Few have ever matched Nikola Jokic’s combination of those statistics, but it goes without saying that basic statistics don’t always lead to team success.

That conversation will be arriving soon, but in the meantime: Don’t overlook the fact that every advanced metric you can imagine grades Jokic as an elite player.

Jokic currently ranks fourth overall and first amongst centers in Real Plus-Minus. He’s also fourth in RPM Wins, seventh in Win Shares, 12th in Win Shares per 48 minutes, eighth in Box Plus-Minus, and seventh in Player Impact Estimate.

Jokic is also 11th in assist percentage, 12th in defensive rebounding percentage, and is shooting 52.8 percent from the field and 81.3 percent from beyond the arc.

Furthermore, the Denver Nuggets have amassed a net rating of +5.2 with Jokic and -1.1 without him. That’s a difference of 6.3 points per 100 possessions, as well as the difference between outscoring and being outscored by your opponent.

No matter which way you cut it, Jokic is one of the most statistically elite players in the NBA—and this comes in what is considered by many to be a down year.