After a brief stint on the sidelines due to an injury, Nikola Jokić is back in his element for the Denver Nuggets. The Serbian center, known globally as “The Joker,” recently discussed with us an intriguing theme: His nemesis. Who is the one defender capable of truly making life miserable for the reigning elite of the NBA?
In true Jokić fashion, he refused to play along with the drama. After a moment of reflection, he offered a characteristic shrug of an answer: “It depends on the game.”
No Rivals, Just Matchups
For Jokić, there is no designated rival or personal duel. He explained to us that his struggles on the court are rarely about the person standing across from him, but rather the rhythm of the night.
“When I’m having a good night… like any player, I guess there are guys who make you miss a little less. But when you have a tough shooting night,” he noted, “it’s a different story.”
Even after a physical battle at Madison Square Garden, where Mitchell Robinson put in a shift against him, Jokić remained objective. While he credited Robinson for doing a “good job,” he refused to crown him as a superior defender, reiterating that the “best” defender changes based on the flow of the game.
Driven by Adrenaline, Not Stats
What became clear during our talk is what the three-time MVP center missed most during his time away from the floor. It wasn’t the pursuit of records or the media spotlight: It was the heat of the battle.
“Just being able to compete, playing in these kinds of matches against very good teams.”
What he also missed was “being in competition against very good players. Just the adrenaline.”
For a man often cited as the best player in the world, his detachment from his own status is striking. He doesn’t sacralize the game; he simply masters it.
