Nikola Jokic isn't nicknamed the Joker after the iconic bad guy in the Batman movies. But if the Nuggets want Jokic to lead them to a second NBA championship, he may have to channel that energy like he's auditioning for the part, even if it's something he "cannot be."
In an exclusive sit-down interview with the Denver Nuggets, Jokic was asked by the interviewer about his process of "learning how to lead." We know he's a softy, but we need that to change, if only to spark the team and carry them. But he still has to figure out how to cross that bridge.
"I think a leader is like, sometimes you need to be a bad guy," Jokic said. He said he "cannot be" a bad guy, but he acknowledges it's a need that's coming. "Sometimes you need to be a bad guy. Yeah, I think that's my next step."
If that's all that's missing, Joker just needs to tap into an ounce of the energy he showed against Lu Dort when Dort hip-checked him in Oklahoma City. He'll not only do well in the audition for the role, but it could also give the Nuggets the leadership they need.
Jokic is having an incredible season
It's incredible to think that, after 10 amazing years, year 11 could be the best one yet for the Joker, statistically speaking. Jokic is averaging 28.1 points, the second-highest of his career, and he's leading the league in both rebounding at 12.6 per game and assists at 10.5 per game, which would be a career high.
It doesn't stop there. From an advanced metric standpoint, it could also be the Joker's best season. Jokic's 32.7 PER, Player Efficiency Rating, trails only his 32.8 in 2021-22, and it leads the league. He also leads the league in True Shooting percentage at .677, and he is having a career season in the advanced box plus minus metrics as well.
Jokic can start his journey now if he wants
There's no better time to start the journey to the bad guy side than now. The Nuggets have not won the games they should have won recently, and their record and Jokic's MVP chances have suffered because of it.
The Nuggets are 43-28 and battling with the Lakers, Rockets, Timberwolves, and Suns for the three through six seeds in the Western Conference playoff race. Thankfully, they own the tiebreaker against all but the Lakers, which will come in handy for seeding when the playoffs start.
So for now, the Nuggets and Nuggets fans will wait and see if Jokic is going to make his heel turn, and figure out when he wants to cross over to the dark side to help lead the Nuggets to a championship. You can start now, please, Joker.