LeBron James Calls Nikola Jokic 'The Most Dominant Complete Player I've Played Against'

In the most recent episode of the Mind The Game podcast, the NBA's all-time leading scorer LeBron James declared that three-time Most Valuable Player Nikola Jokic is 'the most dominant, complete player' he has ever played against during his 23-year career.

James, a four-time MVP himself, could not help but gush over Jokic's outstanding play in the ongoing season.

Answering co-host Steve Nash's question about whether Jokic is the most dominant offensive player he has ever faced, James went even further in praising the Serbian superstar.

'I will say this, he's the most complete, dominant player I've ever played against,' James told Nash.

Earning The King's Praise

'King James' explained that there is nothing Jokic cannot do on the offensive end of the floor. He highlighted the big man's passing, shooting, rebounding and attention to detail as second to none.

'You try to double him; he'll make you pay. You try to play him in single coverage, he's gonna make you pay,' James said.

He also noted Jokic's rare ability to bring the ball up the floor during fast breaks, a responsibility usually reserved for point guards rather than centres.

'Sometimes he even brings the ball up the floor and they outlet the ball to him,' he added. 'Off the top of my head, there have only been a couple of guys like that. It's rare for a point guard to rebound the ball and outlet it to the centre so he can push the break.'

James pointed out that this unconventional playmaking role underscores just how unique Jokic's skill set is, further setting him apart from traditional big men in NBA history.

A Walking Triple-Double

Nicknamed 'The Joker,' Jokic has once again been lighting up the league throughout his 11th NBA season. He is currently averaging a triple-double of 28.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 10.9 assists per game and has already recorded 10 triple-doubles in the first 19 games of the season.

Jokic now boasts 174 career triple-doubles, ranking third all time, 31 behind league leader Russell Westbrook (205), whom he played with last season. Among the top five players on the all-time list, only Jokic, Westbrook and James remain active.

He is only the third player in NBA history, behind Westbrook and legend Oscar Robertson, to average a triple-double over an entire season. Jokic also made history as the first centre ever to achieve the feat.

'It's nice,' Jokic said after learning of the accomplishment in April. 'I didn't do that before. I don't know. I don't know what to say. It's good.'

Westbrook was the most recent player to average a triple-double prior to Jokic, doing so during the 2020 to 2021 season with the Washington Wizards and for three consecutive seasons earlier with the Oklahoma City Thunder from 2016 to 2019.

The Sky's the Limit for Jokic

Jokic, who turned 30 last February, still has many years left in the tank. With one championship already on his résumé and his game continuing to reach new heights, the Nuggets superstar appears far from hitting his ceiling, a ceiling he has shattered time and again over the past few seasons.