The NBA is constantly changing and developing as a sports league. The way teams played 10 years ago is far different than the way we see basketball currently played. Regardless, some players like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard transcend eras. Nikola Jokic, who many consider to be the best player in the world, should surely be a shoo-in among those stars but Rashad McCants can’t quite say that with confidence.
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When it comes to playing top level basketball in 2026, Jokic has mastered the craft. The three-time MVP has dominated the competition despite lacking in the athleticism department. His skill and IQ have more than made up for his weaknesses.
Jokic is one of the main reasons for the revival of the center position. There was a period of time, specifically in the 2010s, when dominant centers were becoming obsolete. This was a harsh reality considering that during the 1990s and 2000s, the center position was arguably the most important of the five.
Rashad McCants experienced first-hand the grueling nature these big men imposed within the paint. In an exclusive interview with The SportRush’s Nickeem Khan, McCants revealed his hesitancy to believe Jokic could have asserted dominance against that competition.
“There are a lot of stars that would compete,” McCants said. “It’s a difference between dominating and competing. Dominating is tough because a lot of the big guys, like Joker and Embiid, as good as they are, it would be tough for them to dominate because they were such high competitive guys. Seven footers, shot blockers, guys who were really high IQ guys that can really defend.”
Jokic and Joel Embiid are both MVP award winners, who have dismantled entire defenses. Embiid has scored 70 points in a single basketball game, while Jokic has put up a 30-20-20 performance. It seems ridiculous to even debate whether or not they can succeed in another era. However, McCants made some excellent points to support his arguments.
“It was more of an IQ game back then. So with these guys, it’s a lot easier for them to take advantage of the low IQ and not having schemes or smart enough players to know how to stop certain moves and make them go to counters,” McCants said.
It’s undeniable that the NBA has become more reactionary than ever before. Teams don’t run nearly as many set plays. Instead, their offensive sets begin with a screen and roll and flow with how the defense reacts. That wasn’t the case in the 2000s.
Each player on the court had to have extensive knowledge of both sides of the ball. This was quite evident with big men, who were the defensive anchors. McCants considered that while sharing this belief. He proceeded to list a few players he believes would’ve done a great job making things difficult for Jokic and Embiid.
“The stronger bigs. Alonzo Mourning, Shaquille O’Neal, Tyson Chandler, Samuel Dalembert, Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin, and even Michael Olowokandi,” McCants proclaimed. “Certain guys were strong as oxes, and they were good defensively on the block.”
McCants is happy to put his faith in the ability of bigs in the past to enforce their defensive presence on stars of the present.
The one thing that Jokic and Embiid have against those big men is that they are far more versatile than any other center, which they faced during their careers. Their ability to shoot and make plays could prove to be the deciding factor in a potential matchup.
It’s an interesting conversation to have, even though we will never witness Jokic perform in such a setting.
