Another former NBA player is saying dumb stuff about Nikola Jokic
Apr 4, 2024, 3:03 PM
For some reason, Nikola Jokic slander still exists.
And the latest former NBA player to say something dumb about the two-time MVP is Gilbert Arenas.
The Denver Nuggets star is about to win his third NBA MVP in four years, but Arenas still decided to pop off on his podcast with Shannon Sharpe about Jokic being “the worst MVP winner in the last 40 years.”
This is some truly mind-numbing stuff. It’s almost not even worth giving Arenas (who’s had some wild legal troubles) the platform, but he ordered the attention and is now getting it.
Take a look for yourself.
“He is the worst MVP winner in the last 40 years.”
– Gilbert Arenas on Nikola Jokic
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 4, 2024
First of all, Arenas says “statistically” about Jokic being the worst. What? Does he not remember that during the 2021-2022 season Jokic became the first NBA player ever to have 2,000 points, 1,000 assists and 500 rebounds in a season? That would make him the best MVP “statistically” ever, right Gilbert?
Second, look at the list of three-time NBA MVPs. It includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six times), Bill Russell (five times), Michael Jordan (five times), Wilt Chamberlain (four times), LeBron James (four times), Moses Malone (three times), Larry Bird (three times) and Magic Johnson (three times).
That’s it. Jokic is a month away from joining that group of players, who are each all-time greats. You don’t keep that kind of company by accident.
And finally, David Robinson, Karl Malone, Steve Nash, Derrick Rose and James Harden were all “worse” MVPs than Jokic. That’s not to slight them, it’s simply a fact. Jokic has passed almost all of them in career achievements, and with a third MVP and potentially second ring he’ll definitely be above that group.
Just like when Kendrick Perkins bizarrely swung last year’s vote toward Joel Embiid, this is just another former player trying to stir up weird hate towards Nikola Jokic.
It’s wrong, it’s ignorant and now we should basically ignore it forever.
