“Nikola Jokic is a creative genius and he sees things other people don’t see”: Bill Walton is bursting with praise for the 2020-21 NBA MVP

Nikola Jokic is a firm top-three MVP candidate as of now. NBA Legend Bill Walton is the latest to affirm his status as one of the best. 

We all know the Joker’s potential and how he is shaping up to be one of the best big men in the league. Ever. He is not athletic, not one bit, and yet puts up numbers that baffle us.

Nikola’s rise to stardom is not sudden by any means. His unique vision and creative flair for passing is something the league has kept tabs on.

His emergence in the last three years, which includes picking up the MVP award for the 2020-21 season has cemented his place in the league’s best.

Also read: “Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have the exact same clutch field goals made and attempted”: How the MVP favorites are statistically identical during crunch time

Bill Walton recalls his encounter with Nikola Jokic at the NBA 75

He spoke at great length about how he admired the Joker and what he was doing in the league. If you are unaware of Walton’s love for Jokic, it is not nascent.

 

By the word of Bill Walton, Nikola Jokic is a pioneer. https://t.co/cLE4rhiGPD https://t.co/cwTNFvQfv7

— Mike Singer (@msinger) February 21, 2022

The Blazers and Celtics legend has often talked about Nikola in a praising manner.

This time we shift our focus to when Walton was seen talking to Jokic before the all-star game. Walton talked to Jokic about the changes he brought to the league.

He said “I was thrilled to be able to say hello to him because I’m a huge fan, and I’m so grateful for the way he plays because it represents the best of the human spirit in terms of inclusion, in terms of opportunity, team, sacrifice, discipline,” Walton said. “He’s just really, really great. He is brilliant.”

Walton also added that Jokic’s creativity was unparalleled and that his sense of timing, skill, position, and balance was astute.

Whether Nikola will win another MVP and go back to back is entirely up to the voting panel. We reckon he deserves a fair shot and we won’t be disappointed if he did win it.