Magic Johnson has kind things to say about Nikola Jokic’s viral pass

Magic Johnson is regarded as the best passer in NBA history, and the former Los Angeles Lakers star has given a shoutout to current best playmaker Nikola Jokic.

Johnson took one of Jokic’s 10 assists from the Denver Nuggets’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday and commented on social media, “Reminds me of a pass I made back in the day against Utah 😂 The Joker’s passing and ability to score anywhere on the basketball court makes him the best player in the NBA along with Giannis!”

Johnson still has the NBA lead with 11.2 assists per game over his career, which was cut short due to a battle with HIV. Buck still ranks seventh with 10,141 helpers over his whole time in the NBA, which is almost double of Jokic’s 60th-place mark of 5,314. It would take seven more seasons of Jokic passing at the level he has the last three years of nearly 10 helpers a game to climb into the top 10 all-time and rival Johnson’s career total.

The pass that caught Magic’s eye came early in the third quarter when Jokic received a Michael Porter Jr. bouncer, then pump faked from the top of the key and drove into Kyle Kuzma. Jokic spun into the center of the lane, but while doing so, he looked to Porter on the wing for a three—except that’s not where the ball was going. Opposite the side of his spin to the left, Jokic no-looked the ball over his right shoulder just past the head of two-time All-Defensive Team center Brook Lopez, where Aaron Gordon picked it up on the baseline and rose for a dunk.

JOKIC DIME OF THE YEAR???! 😱😱

ARE YOU KIDDING ME. pic.twitter.com/hyYEnin3XS

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 27, 2025

Here’s the play in extreme slow-mo.

Nikola Jokić: Absolute cinema pic.twitter.com/wPilANV8L2

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) March 27, 2025

“It’s one of the best passes I’ve ever seen,” fellow former NBA player Chandler Parsons said about the dish.

Jokic scored 39 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with his 10 assists, tallying his 30th triple-double of the season—a feat only Oscar Robertson, Wilt Chamberlain and Russell Westbrook have also achieved.

Over time, Jokic has slowly gained the respect of his peers as he’s climbed up the list of NBA greats. The first big shift in being welcomed into the club was after the Nuggets won the title in 2023. Despite winning two MVPs, Jokic’s unorthodox style had and still is, to some people, a lightning rod. However, those inside the game, especially some legends like Johnson, have begun to heap praise upon Jokic in the last 20 months or so. Johnson’s latest comments is just one three-time MVP complimenting another—plus, their passing does look alike.

"He has the instinct of Magic Johnson."

Nikola Jokić moved into 3rd on the all-time triple doubles list!

He shares some eerily similar highlight reel moments with the Hall of Fame guard he surpassed 🔥 pic.twitter.com/WeYVpe9Wwj

— NBA (@NBA) December 6, 2024