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Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has been one of the top players in the NBA for years. However, when his career first started, no one expected him to be anything close to the player he has become.
He was a second-round draft pick and was a player that some didn’t even expect to play in the NBA. Originally, fans were upset that the Nuggets decided to prioritize Jokic over former center Jusuf Nurkic. Clearly, that move has paid off nicely for Denver.
As of last night, Jokic has won three NBA MVP’s. He was able to beat out both Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the prestigious award this season.
That being said, Jokic is already talking about his long-term NBA future and how long he wants to play.
During a press conference, Jokic got honest about his future and when he’ll know it’s time to retire. The clip was shared by NBA reporter Michael Scotto.
“I’m not going to take a spot from some young guy or put the franchise down. As long as I can play at the highest level and help the team win, I’m going to play until then.”
MVP Nikola Jokic on how long he’ll play in the NBA: “I’m not going to take a spot from some young guy or put the franchise down. As long as I can play at the highest level and help the team win, I’m going to play until then.” pic.twitter.com/Or1fWgma6e
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) May 9, 2024
Nikola Jokic’s Present And Future With The Denver Nuggets
Listening to those comments, it’s hard to think anything other than Jokic sticking around for many more years. He is in the middle of his prime and has shown zero signs of slowing down. Jokic is 29 years old, which in and of itself suggests that he has a good five to seven more years left in his career.
During the 2023-24 NBA regular season, Jokic ended up averaging 26.4 points per game to go along with 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists. He shot 58.3 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 35.9 percent from the three-point line.
At the time of this writing, Jokic and the Denver Nuggets are in some trouble in their playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After losing their first two games at home, the Nuggets will need to rebound from a 2-0 series deficit on the road in a very difficult atmosphere in Minnesota.
No matter what happens this season, Jokic has already proven himself to be one of the best players of all-time. As he continues to dominate the league in the coming years, he will continue moving up the all-time ranks.
Winning the MVP this season was the most controversial time that he has won the award. Many thought that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have won MVP. Despite that thought, Jokic has remained humble and has made it clear that he truly does not care about individual accolades and is only focused on his team winning.
Expect to see Jokic continue playing at a dominant level for many years. The end is nowhere close. It’s easy to get worked up when a player talks about retirement, but that time is not coming anytime soon for Jokic.
More must-reads:
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