Steve Kerr says Nikola Jokic is doing things Kareem Abdul-Jabbar never could

Nikola Jokic left nine-time NBA champion Steve Kerr speechless, reaching for historical comparisons to contextualize his dominance.

Steve Kerr says Nikola Jokic is doing things Kareem Abdul-Jabbar never could

Nikola Jokic

The Denver Nuggets are being revealed to be paper tigers over the past few days. Despite Nikola Jokic playing the best basketball of his life, the team is sliding down the standings. Having possessed a sub-par record against winning teams all season, their latest slide signals their low floor. The team suffered a double-digit loss to the Golden State Warriors, who are staking their credentials as legitimate candidates.

Stephen Curry and co are 20-2 when the two-time MVP starts alongside Jimmy Butler in the past two months. The Dubs seized the advantage in the second quarter following an anemic performance by the Nuggets. Denver, who put up 44 points in the first period, were not able to sustain their scoring efficiency for the rest of the game. Nikola Jokic finished with a statline of 33 points, 12 rebounds and 9 assists on the night.

The Nuggets have long been viewed as matchup nightmares for both the Lakers as well as Golden State. However, results in the past six weeks are exposing their failings on defense and offense. Nonetheless, Jokic left nine-time NBA champion Steve Kerr speechless, reaching for historical comparisons to contextualize what he’s witnessing. And the comparison he reached up for was someone universally looked at as the most complete big man ever.

He’s the best center I’ve ever seen. I played against Kareem. I’m that old. And Kareem couldn’t do all this stuff. He’s absolutely one of the smartest players EVER.

Steve Kerr on what Nikola Jokic is accomplishing

Steve Kerr with very high praise for Nikola Jokic: “It’s unfair to compare eras, but he’s the best center I’ve ever seen. … Kareem couldn’t do all this stuff.”

— Dalton Johnson (@daltonjohnson.bsky.social) April 5, 2025 at 5:54 AM

There are many NBA players for whom praise of this order may seem like sacrilege. But Jokic’s play over the past three seasons indicates that he’s perhaps the biggest offensive game-breaker ever. Akin to Wayne Gretzky during the 80s, the Serbian is both the league’s most effective scorer, as well as its most composed and devastating playmaker. This level of offensive dominance, married to scoring efficiency, has never been seen in league history.

LeBron James was a close analog to this, but he played when Chris Paul and Rajon Rondo were the league’s best facilitators. Michael Jordan was dominant in the era when John Stockton, Magic Johnson, and Isiah Thomas were playing. Oscar Robertson was perhaps the closest match, but his scoring was outweighed by a bunch of NBA competitors.

How can the Denver Nuggets maximize Nikola Jokic in his prime?

Given the kind of signs that the front office is receiving from players’ performances, it seems that the Denver Nuggets will be needing significant roster changes. While Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr are great second and third options, both cost way too much on their current contracts for their production. Aaron Gordon fits well with Jokic, but the team also need another shooter to start.

Losing Bruce Brown for two years might be the biggest change the team has seen since its championship season. Picking the Raptors swingman back up could be one step to bolster their depth. Brown can still be a great sixth man type of performer given his combination of playmaking and shooting. The Nuggets would also need to invest in backup centers for Jokic, since their offense runs to the ground when he sits.

Dario Saric and Zeke Nnaji have run their course in the backup role, as has DeAndre Jordan to a certain extent. The team would need more dynamism from their frontcourt to adapt to Jamal Murray’s inability to operate an efficient offense without Jokic.