By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has shared his ‘NBA Mount Rushmore’ and identified the toughest opponents he faces in the league.
An NBA champion in 2023 and three-time season Most Valuable Player, the Serbian center picked three icons from previous eras alongside one active player from his own generation. Talking with SPORTbible on Monday, Jokic selected Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain, and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry as the four finest to ever play.
He picked Russell ‘because of the championships’ and pointed to Chamberlain ‘because of all the numbers and all the crazy stats’. When evaluating the remaining spots, he focused on individuals who revolutionized the sport. He credited Jordan ‘because he changed the game’ and applied that same praise to Curry, the only active peer on his list. His selections notably left out other modern stars, including LeBron James.
Beyond his historical picks, the Sombor native opened up about the current talent. When asked which matchups have given him the most trouble since his 2015 debut, Jokic declined to name just one person, pointing instead to the depth of the modern NBA. He singled out rival centers and forwards Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Davis, and Victor Wembanyama as his primary challengers. “I mean, I think the league is so talented,” he explained.
Meanwhile, the Nuggets are set to wrap up their NBA Preseason 2026 schedule with matchups against the Los Angeles Clippers at Intuit Dome on Wednesday, and the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Friday. They will then open the 2026–27 Regular Season against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Paycom Center next Thursday.
Make