The possession belonged to Denver, and the Nuggets were preparing to inbound from the sideline.
The ball went to Nikola Jokic, who was standing in the left corner facing the stands with his back turned to the basket. He took a dribble, peeking over his left shoulder, and then dribbled one more time, slightly shifting his body towards the middle, making it seem like he was ready to attack the hoop.
Instead, Jokic fired a one-handed, behind-the-back pass along the baseline, finding sharpshooter Cameron Johnson wide open in the right corner. Boom! Without hesitation, Johnson let it fly. Bottom of the net.
The three-pointer earned Jokic an assist, and his incredible pass instantly became an early assist-of-the-year candidate.
Without a reaction, Jokic ran on defence, moving on from the previous possession, while the fans were in disbelief. They witnessed an incredible moment. For Jokic, it was just another play.
And as Jokic continues to make the extraordinary look ordinary, the rest of the NBA is preparing for another season filled with unforgettable moments, superstar performances, and championship ambitions.
With the preseason officially underway, the league is once again ready to take centre stage. The wait is over - the NBA is back!
The first Saturday of October tipped off the preseason matchups, signalling that the long-awaited regular season is just around the corner.
The Heat faced the Raptors in Toronto, giving Miami the first chance to explore a new lineup featuring superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Klay Thompson. Things seemed to click for the Heat, as they took down the Raptors 129-105.
A day later, the Los Angeles Clippers edged the Golden State Warriors 104-101 in Hawaii, while the Denver Nuggets competed against the Utah Jazz. After winning 54 games last season, the Nuggets secured the third seed in the West, facing the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves.
After kicking the series off with a home victory, Denver lost three straight games and fell in the first round as the Timberwolves upset them 4-2.
Ever since reaching the ultimate pinnacle and standing on top as the NBA champions in 2023, Denver have been searching for another significant success. The franchise hasn’t advanced beyond the conference semi-finals in their subsequent playoff runs.
Following the heartbreaking early exit in the 2026 playoffs, the organisation has sought to address its weaknesses by adding veteran depth, maintaining continuity, and relying on the versatile, magic skills of Denver’s cornerstone and leader in Jokic.
When the Nuggets played the Jazz, it was their first opportunity to test new lineups, give newcomers a chance to shine, and welcome back the fans. Preseason games aren’t defined by starters playing heavy minutes and recording career-highs.
The Nuggets lost 109-97, and Jokic played just 15 minutes. Yet, it felt like Denver won. The mastery from Jokic showcased that the Denver fanbase is going to be entertained. Witnessing excellence. And a competitive push for another championship. That’s why he’s nicknamed “the Joker.”
Entering his 12th NBA season, the 31-year-old Jokic continues to prove that greatness has no expiration date. The three-time MVP remains one of the most dominant and intelligent players in basketball, orchestrating Denver’s offence with his extraordinary passing, effortless scoring, and unmatched court vision.
He doesn’t need explosive athleticism to control a game; his basketball IQ, patience, and ability to make everyone around him better set him apart from the rest of the league.
With the star centre pulling the strings, the Nuggets remain legitimate championship contenders, capable of challenging the league’s best teams in the 2026-2027 season. As another season begins, Denver’s title hopes rest on the shoulders of its Serbian star.
Grand theft draft
In 2014, Jokic was 19 years old and playing for Mega Basket in Serbia, gaining experience in the professional men’s league. Prior to the draft, he never appeared in the headlines as the next exciting prodigy. He was never labelled as a top prospect, someone who fills the news with his highlights and predictions of him being the upcoming NBA superstar.
The Denver Nuggets drafted Jokic in the second round, 41st overall. His selection famously appeared during a Taco Bell commercial broadcast, on the bottom of the screen as part of a news ticker covering the draft. What people thought was just another second-round pick - somebody who might eventually work himself into a good NBA player and earn a long-term contract - turned into one of the best draft stories, often referred to as the greatest draft steal of all time.
After getting drafted, Jokic remained in Europe for another season before joining the Nuggets for the 2015-2016 season. After a convincing summer stint, he signed a contract with Denver, solidifying his position.
The centre played in 80 contests in his rookie campaign, starting 55 of them and averaging 10.0 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. His then-career highs were 27 points, 15 rebounds, and nine assists, achieving those marks as a first-year, second-round-drafted player. He finished third in the 2016 Rookie of the Year Award voting and earned a spot on the NBA All-Rookie First Team.
Ever since stepping foot in the league, Jokic never looked back. He kept improving as a sophomore, setting new career-highs and recording his first triple-double. When the season concluded, Jokic finished second in the 2017 NBA Most Improved Player Award voting.
During his third season, the centre established himself as a franchise player. In July 2018, Jokic signed a five-year, $148 million maximum contract extension. The message from the Nuggets was clear: they were building around him for the long haul.
Breakthrough
Jokic repaid that trust in full - and with interest. He had a breakout 2018-2019 season, finishing with 20.1 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. During the year, he recorded his 20th career triple-double, becoming the third-youngest player ever to get to 20. Jokic earned his first NBA All-Star selection and was voted on the All-NBA First Team.
In the 2020-2021 campaign, Jokic won his first NBA Most Valuable Player award, becoming the first Serbian player to receive the honour. He averaged 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game during the regular season. Even more impressively, he played all 72 games in the shortened year, demonstrating remarkable durability and consistency.
He also became the first player drafted in the second round to win the NBA MVP award. The achievement confirmed that his unconventional playing style was not simply entertaining — it was capable of dominating the best basketball league in the world, because rather than relying on elite athleticism, Jokic developed into a superstar through his vision, footwork, touch around the basket, and ability to make passes that few players could even imagine. And that’s exactly why he repeated as the MVP in 2021-2022.
Unbelievable numbers
That season, Jokic became the first player in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists. He led the Nuggets in all three major categories, but also in blocks, steals, and field goal percentage. He was also the only player in the entire league to finish in the top 10 in points, rebounds, and assists per game.
Among all competitors, he had the highest single-season player efficiency rating in NBA history at 32.85, and he led the league in win shares, offensive win shares, box plus-minus, total rebounds, double-doubles, and triple-doubles.
Denver played Golden State in the first round of the playoffs and lost 4-1. Former Defensive Player of the Year Draymond Green was tasked with guarding Jokic in the series and had nothing but praise for the Serbian star.
"I told him, 'Thank you for making me better. It's an honour and a pleasure to play someone so skilled.' Usually when you have guys that talented and skilled, they're soft. And he's far, far from soft. He's an absolutely incredible player,” said Green after the series.
Then came the defining moment of Jokic’s career. After years of playoff disappointments, Jokic and the Nuggets finally reached the NBA Finals in 2023. Denver defeated the Miami Heat in five games, winning the first championship in franchise history.
Jokic dominated throughout the postseason, combining his scoring ability with exceptional playmaking and rebounding. He averaged 30.2 points, 14 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game in the Finals, earning the Finals MVP award.
In Game 3 of the Finals, Jokic delivered one of the most extraordinary performances in championship history - he recorded 32 points, 21 rebounds, 10 assists, and two blocks. An absolute stuffing-the-statsheet monster performance. This masterpiece made him the first player in NBA Finals history to record a 30-point, 20-rebound triple-double. Denver won 109–94, taking a 2–1 series lead.
The performance perfectly illustrated just how dominant and unique Jokic’s abilities are. He could dominate the paint, shoot from deep, control the glass, and create scoring opportunities for his teammates without sacrificing any part of his own offensive game. It was one of the clearest demonstrations of why he is considered one of the greatest passing big men ever.
The championship established Jokic as more than a statistical phenomenon. He led a franchise to the ultimate prize while playing basketball his own way. Jokic went from a second-round draft pick to one of the greatest basketball players of his generation.
And there’s no slowing down for Jokic. He won his third MVP award in 2024. In 2026, he led the NBA in both rebounds and assists - a feat that has only been done once before by Wilt Chamberlain in the 1967-1968 season. Jokic was the first player in the modern era to accomplish it again.
New hunt on the horizon
Jokic is in the last year of his current contract. He has one more guaranteed year with the Nuggets but has expressed a desire to remain with the franchise. But the extension talks have been pushed to next summer. Jokic will be eligible to sign a five-year supermax contract, so from a financial standpoint, the holdoff makes sense. But it stresses the fans, who know that without a contract, the superstar could go elsewhere.
“I’ve been more than open about it. Hopefully, they trust me,” said Jokic.
At the 2026 media day, Jokic once again reiterated his intention to stay in Denver.
“If they want me,” he added with a smile.
The conference room filled with laughter. Everybody knew that this was never going to be an issue. Denver count on Jokic and keeps building around him.
In the offseason, the front office signed decorated veteran DeMar DeRozan and forward Marvin Bagley III to add depth to the frontcourt. They retained key guard Tyus Jones and forward Spencer Jones, while adding a skilled playmaker in Lonnie Walker IV.
When you have a player of Jokic’s calibre on the roster, making the playoffs every year simply isn’t enough. Nothing but winning the championship is acceptable, and the Nuggets have taken action to push the team in the right direction. Trusting Jokic and his skills, along with his decision-making, is the least concerning piece of the puzzle.
Jokic has shown that a centre can function as the primary playmaker and offensive engine of a championship contender. His career is defined not by one particular game but by his consistency in producing performances that were once considered almost impossible for a centre. He has repeatedly recorded triple-doubles while combining elite scoring with rebounding and playmaking.
Fans find his playmaking style jaw-dropping and endless-highlight-reel-worthy. For Jokic, it’s all part of his routine. One so extraordinarily ordinary. One that paves the way to another NBA championship.