Nuggets fans have put up with all kinds of nonsense when it comes to Nikola Jokic and the way he’s discussed by the media in recent years. But still, some things are going to trigger just about anyone, and if I didn’t know any better, I’d think that’s what Bill Simmons was trying to do on his Sunday night podcast with Zach Lowe.
The two went through a long list of fake awards that Simmons has made up or been a part of, in some instances, for many years. That’s the case with what has become one of the marquee awards in the show, the League Pass MVP.
Different than the actual MVP award, or the best player in the world, the LP MVP is supposed to reward the player who most makes you want to watch him, as if you were flipping through the channels on League Pass - which player would you gravitate towards the most?
For years, Simmons and Lowe have been two of the leading admirers of Jokic, frequently picking him for this honor and claiming he should be winning it for a long time. And yet, they’ve both already done what they used to crusade against: taking Jokic for granted. Both Lowe and Simmons gave the award to Victor Wembanyama.
Simmons and Lowe pick Wemby as League Pass MVP
At the end of the day, this obviously doesn’t matter one bit. But these are two of the most prominent voices in NBA media, and they’ve been massive Jokic supporters. If guys like this start to take the Joker for granted and are already moving on to the newer, younger stars, then we’re in trouble.
The discourse will only continue to get worse, and obnoxious narratives will be all over the media landscape. Sadly, these discussions can shift legacies and be remembered long after players are gone. Jokic is already fighting back against the “rings culture,” talking points that have infected a lot of discourse.
Jokic cannot be taken for granted
We can’t allow people to start being bored with his performances just because he has made them routine. Jokic is on the way to averaging a triple-double yet again, and would do so even if he put up 0/0/0 in the team’s remaining games.
He leads the entire NBA in rebounds and assists per game, and he’s seventh in points. You don’t even need all of the advanced metrics to show his unprecedented brilliance. And the eye test makes it look even better. Everything about Joker’s game is aesthetically pleasing, and it’s a joy to watch the big, goofy-looking Serbian methodically beat teams over the head with his genius.
Jokic is the league’s best attraction right now, and he delivers on a nightly basis. He deserves this belt until someone takes it from him, and as Jokic proved against Wemby on Saturday, that time hasn’t come just yet.