“No Idea How I Would Cover Nikola Jokic”: George Karl Lauds Nuggets MVP, Draws Comparison to Michael Jordan & 7ft 1’ Shaquille O’Neal

Advait Jajodia | 11/01/2023
“No Idea How I Would Cover Nikola Jokic”: George Karl Lauds Nuggets MVP, Draws Comparison to Michael Jordan & 7ft 1’ Shaquille O’Neal

Nikola Jokic has certainly made the game more positionless than ever. Despite standing at 6-foot-11, the Nuggets leader not only can rebound the ball, but can also dribble, pass, and shoot the rock just as effectively.

The Serbian superstar has even racked up a resume good enough to consider him one of the best big men to ever play. In merely 8 seasons in the NBA, the Joker has been selected to 4 All-Star & 4 All-NBA Teams and won the prestigious MVP trophies in back-to-back years.

Also Read: Denver Nuggets Coach’s High Praise After the Joker’s Massive Triple-double

Much like the past two seasons, in this campaign as well, Nikola has been playing at a different level altogether. Amid a sensational run of outstanding performances, legendary coach George Karl had some high praises for the Denver center.

George Karl has comparisons between Nikola Jokic and Michael Jordan & Shaquille O’Neal

Against the LeBron James-less Los Angeles Lakers, Jokic became the first player ever to record a 15+ assist triple-double and no missed field goals. A few moments after recording an 87th career triple-double, George Karl had some compliments for the European.

Karl, who coached in the league for more than three decades, took it to his Twitter stating that he had no idea on how he would cover Jokic. The Hall-Of-Famer further lauded Nikola by revealing that the only other times the former Coach of the Year has felt this same was against Michael Jordan and 7-foot-1 Shaquille O’Neal.

The 71-year-old wrote:

I’ve been watching Jokic for six seasons now. I think the best thing I can say about him is I still have no idea how I would cover him. 

The two other times I’ve felt that was against Michael and Shaq.

Can the Joker win a 3rd straight MVP Trophy?

The Denver Nuggets are #1 in the West with an impressive 27-13 record as they approach their halfway mark of the season. The likes of Michael Porter Jr., Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordan, and KCP have been doing an outstanding job. However, Nikola needs to be majorly credited for the Colorado-based franchise’s success.

The 284-pound star has been averaging 25 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game.

Retaining the #1 position on the latest MVP Ladder, there is no doubt that Jokic has the potential to become the first player in 37 years to win 3 straight MVP trophies.

Also Read: Nikola Jokic Creates NBA History as Back-to-Back MVP notches 1st Game With 10+ points, 15+ Assists and 100% field goal percentage

Post Edited By: Advait Jajodia
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Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia, an NBA and Tennis journalist for The SportsRush, has had a passion for both sports for over a decade. His admiration for Kobe Bryant, Stephen Curry, and Rafael Nadal pushed him to gain a profound understanding of the sports. With a background as a multi-sport athlete, Advait uses his experience on the hardwood and the court to offer insightful analysis. Over four years of dedicated sports journalism has equipped the 22-year-old with a unique perspective, reflected in his prolific portfolio of 4,700+ articles.

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