too. Another Serbian player who ended up being drafted 2nd overall - ahead of Carmelo, D Wade, Bosh - behind LeBron and was a complete bust. It was 11 years earlier so maybe too far removed, but I recall reading an article about how Mike Trout being drafted 25th overall was partially a result of some other kids from his area being busts in earlier drafts. Different sport, of course, but crossed my mind when I saw your question.
Nets fan. Though you do wonder how many titles they would have won if it had been Carmelo or Wade. I liked that team, even if they did end up sticking a fork in the Nets short term dominance of the East.
The NBA draft is littered with big guys who may have some skill but are raw. It is difficult to project who will be able to adjust to playing against really big, athletic guys. What makes Jokic unique is how he has developed his game to neutralize his limitations, particularly how he manipulates the ball above his head both in shooting and passing.
He didn't come in with all of this, though, and he has worked incredibly hard. The most noticeable aspect is how in shape he is - he is able to hustle up and down the floor for 40 minutes. That was certainly not the case a few years ago, and is pretty rare for a guy his size in general.
He is, in my opinion, the most fun guy in the league to watch right now.
I've been hearing that crap ever since I was at UCLA. I'm out there busting my buns every night! Tell your old man to drag Walton and Lanier up and down the court for 48 minutes!
Considered a good offensive prospect, but would get killed defensively. Happens alot with centers. Look at some of the better offensive centers in college and how quickly they have failed in the NBA. And Euro centers didnt have a strong reputation in the NBA either. He probably was considered a stash and dash prospect too, as many European second rounders are. But he improved quickly after the draft and had a great year right before coming to the NBA.
He didnt play in the best league in Europe too IIRC.
Jokic has worked on his limitations, but his Basketball IQ and passing ability for a big man are in the same class as Bird and Magic. Its just that good. And it makes up for any athletic and defensive shortcomings (which he has improved).
Look at where Giannis was drafted too.
I think the NBA has gotten better with players overseas, but even as recently as 10 years ago they completely missed the boat on an international phenom. Its interesting that arguably the 2 best players in the NBA right now were not lottery picks.
But there are just some guys who can play at a very high level in the NBA who are not the most athletic or quickest. Their basketball IQ is just that much better than others in the league. Brunson on the Knicks come to mind too. How he is able to get a good shot is amazing to me as well.
He isn't fast, and his vertical leap isn't very good; but quickness and peripheral vision are his athletic gifts.
D isn't what it was 20 years ago now 30 years ago. More like 1960's and early 1970's now. Scoring has risen almost 14 pts a game just since Jokic drafted.
Linked are the scores from the NBA Semi Finals in 2004 - Pistons (with Ben Wallace) vs Pacers (with Ron Artest or whatever called at that time). That year was the nadir for offense in the 3 pt era and soft rim era both starting around 1979.
If you allowed them to defend with the pre-2005 rules, they’d be stellar on defense. The modern NBA rules make it so that the 90s style of defense is an automatic foul. I wish they would adjust the rules and find a happy medium. I don’t want to see 80-76, but I also don’t want to see 144-140.
staying away from the midrange game, focusing on 3 points, etc. Curry changed the game more than anyone and everyone has followed. Even Jokic is averaging 3 3pt attempts per game for his career, 20 years ago a guy like him would probably attempt 10 3 pointers a year.
more threes during the regular season. This season there were 279.
That season Larry Bird was the only player to average a made three per game played. This year there were 155 players that did that.
Career 3PA per 36 minutes played:
Jokic 3.3
Bird 1.8
I knew 3s had surged…but not by THAT much!
Sure Booker and Durant had a couple games in which they didn't miss, but Nuggets were willing to give them midrange jumpers and then get open 3s and dunks on the other end.
I showed B23 clips of Pistons-Bulls in early 1990's and he almost couldn't believe it. Kids like the "Video Game" style of back and forth of today though.
Good point on rule changes.