In the case of Nikola Jokic, his old man game and his mastery of the fundamentals are the reasons he’s been able to dominate. But how did he develop this style and what more can he do to improve?
The first time I saw Nikola Jokic, I didn’t think much of him.
He didn’t look athletic like some other centers or mobile like modern power forwards. And he was drafted absurdly low (in the second round).
But then I saw him play on the hardwood (well the highlights anyway).
It was Feb. 1, 2016. Jokic was playing against my beloved Toronto Raptors. He was a rookie and his performance in this game was one of his best in that campaign.
He scored 27 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out 4 assists. Now, these numbers are impressive. But how he got them is even more so.
Jokic, this game, showed me that I should never judge a book by its cover. Remember, I initially thought that he couldn’t ball like the best of them. And he proved me wrong.
“The Joker” unveiled his old man game and was popping mid-range jumpers, razzle and dazzling in the post, and taking the ball up the court and assisting his teammates.
He was nimble on his feet, had a soft touch around the rim, and had control over his handles. He was such a versatile player for a big man.
I was genuinely shocked (and excited) while watching him play.
During the game, there’s this one play where he posted up a smaller Corey Joseph.
Instead of backing down the guard -like most bigs do- Jokic decides to pull a spin-a-rooni on him for an open drive to the basket.
It was awesome!
But how does a guy that size able to play that way? Not only is he tall (7 feet), but he’s also big (280 pounds).
The European Way Of Teaching Basketball
The reason Jokic is able to move like a guard is that he grew up learning the European way of playing basketball.
In Europe, basketball programs place more emphasis on the fundamentals and less so on flash and athleticism. It’s more old school, I suppose.
Instead of getting players to learn the basics and then letting them roam free, Europeans will force a player to master the fundamentals before they’re allowed to learn the other stuff.
And they start training this way at a young age.
Kobe On European Basketball
In 2015, Kobe Bryant told ESPN after a Los Angeles Lakers loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that European players are more skillful because they’re taught to play the right way.
“I just think European players are just way more skillful,” Bryant said. “They are just taught the game the right way at an early age. … They’re more skillful. It’s something we really have to fix. We really have to address that. We have to teach our kids to play the right way.”
He delved into it more, saying that American players are not taught an all-around game:
“When you have limitations and you understand your limitations and you stay within yourself, you can be great,” Kobe Bryant said. “You know what you can do and what you can’t do. In America, it’s a big problem for us because we’re not teaching players how to play all-around basketball. That’s why you have Pau and Marc [Gasol], and that’s the reason why 90 percent of the Spurs’ roster is European players, because they have more skill.”
I will also add that Jokic isn’t a prototypical European player. Yes, he fits the mould.
But he is a basketball unicorn in that he also has point guard skills (able to run the ball up the court, initiate plays, play on the perimeter, etc.).
Most European big-men do not.
But he wouldn’t have been able to add those skills (and do them well) had he not mastered the fundamentals first.
How Will Nikola Jokic Evolve His Game?
Jokic’s offensive game may seem like it’s close to its ceiling.
He’s already contributing to every category and is shooting at a high clip. So, what more can he do?
According to the center, he’s going to get better by increasing his I.Q.
Via ESPN:
“How I can get better?” said Jokic. “I think it goes back to experience. My body is going to be a little bit kind of used to all the contact, all the physicality, how the game is fast, just by experience. I learned a lot from the last playoffs and just kind of growing up. Individual-wise, shooting better, be aggressive, whatever, but I just think experience is going to be the most important key.”
Final Thoughts
At the time of this writing, Jokic is only 26 years old and is playing in his seventh NBA season.
But even with a relatively small sample size, he’s already showing his potential legacy.
If he continues to evolve his game, his name will be plastered next to the greats in no time.
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