This is a full comparison of Luka Doncic and Nikola Jokic. A future NBA MVP Luka Doncic against the two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.
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Luka Doncic has taken the league by storm this season, putting up a whopping 33.6 PPG, 8.7 RPG, and 8.8 APG. He has also managed to carry the Mavericks to a playoff spot in the Western Conference yet again and is easily one of the top-ten players in the universe right now. A legitimate triple-double threat every night, Luka Doncic will likely manage to capture a Western All-Star berth as a starter which would be his 4th straight selection at only 23 years old. That is quite incredible for any player let alone a foreign one. Of course, his recent performance against the New York Knicks is making rounds, because he recorded the first 60-point, 20-rebound triple-double in NBA history.
In the same conference, Nikola Jokic has continued to shake up the league as the reigning two-time MVP of the NBA. Nobody expected Nikola to develop into the best passing center ever, but he has made it look normal as he puts up near triple-double averages per season. He might also be the favorite for the MVP award yet again this year, and if he can somehow win his third straight MVP award, he becomes the first since Larry Bird to achieve this. Speaking of Larry Bird, renowned NBA analyst Bill Simmons claims that the big Serbian might have even surpassed Larry Legend as an offensive player:
“There's something different when somebody has freak vision, freak everything. And Jokic has it. And, watching Sunday night it was the first time I was like, 'this guy's actually probably better than Bird offensively,'" Simmons said on the most recent edition of his podcast.
But which player is truly better? Does Luka's all-around play usurp Nikola's extreme basketball IQ? By placing them head to head in all the key attributes, it is time to find out who is the better player between Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and Nuggets franchise player Nikola Jokic.
Scoring - Luka Doncic
Luka has had a tremendous season and put up a monster 33.6 PPG in only his fifth season. Luka can hit the three and also attack the paint very well thanks to explosiveness and ball handling. Doncic is shooting 50.6% from the field including 35.5% from three, although his shooting percentages are skewed because he has to take a lot of shots. Overall, Luka's scoring numbers and consistency in the offense all season long give him the edge.
Nikola Jokic is a terrific shooter for his size, nailing 61.9% from the field this year and also shooting 80.6% from the free-throw line. From the field, Nikola is extremely efficient as he is always able to get good looks without ever taking bad shots. Jokic is extremely skilled in the post, as he has a quick spin move and a perfect touch around the rim. Quite simply, Jokic is unstoppable in one-on-one situations. But again, Jokic can’t create offense like Luka because the Slovenian is a perimeter player.
Athleticism - Even
Doncic is actually underrated in terms of athleticism because he has very broad shoulders and can absorb contact at the rim very well. If it weren't for his build, it would be much harder for Luka to be effective as a playmaker and particularly as a scorer. Luka is strong for his age and had an NBA-ready body in his rookie season. That has not changed at all by his 5th season.
Nikola Jokic is surprisingly quick for his size, as he often leads the break for the Nuggets once he grabs the defensive rebound. He has solid body movement and gets where he needs to be at the right time, which is impressive for a man at 6’11” and 284 lbs. Quite frankly, Jokic does not look like much of an athlete but neither does Luka, so there is no separation between them in a physical sense.
Defense - Nikola Jokic
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Doncic is a machine on the offensive end but he isn't quite as good on defense. In fact, he has looked like a liability at times. Luka doesn't seem to be blessed with the great horizontal speed needed in his movement and can get beat quite a few times on the defensive end. To his credit, the Slovenian is averaging 1.7 SPG and has a career average of 1.1 SPG and 0.4 BPG.
Nikola Jokic is mainly known for his terrific all-around impact as a shooter and passer, but his defense is also a big factor in what he does on the floor. The Serbian is averaging 1.5 SPG and 0.6 BPG this season, close to his career numbers of 1.2 SPG and 0.7 BPG. Due to his raw size and basketball IQ, Nikola Jokic is a solid defender who protects the rim very well. After all, he is the reigning MVP for a reason and has an edge over Luka Doncic.
Clutch - Even
Even if his shooting numbers do look inefficient at times, Luka Doncic is scary in the clutch. That is mainly through his marksmanship shooting that he can get buckets. When he explodes to the rim, he can finish with a soft touch and absorb hits well. Most importantly, the 23-year-old is not afraid of the moment, and he will likely be an even better clutch performer as he continues to gain experience in the NBA.
As a two-time reigning MVP, there is no doubt that Nikola Jokic is a special player in the clutch because he might be the most valuable member of a specific team that we have in the league. The Serbian has come through for Denver in the clutch, whether that means making shots, making key passes, or protecting the rim. Everything that the Nuggets do runs through Nikola, and the center usually comes through. Overall, there is no separation between the two European stars.
Leadership - Nikola Jokic
Leadership is extremely important when scouting young players. While Doncic and Nikola both can be NBA superstars who are the faces of the NBA for the long term, their leadership must be shown by their ability to lead their teammates on and off the court. Luka Doncic has an imposing presence and talent to do so, even if he has issues controlling his temper at times. The Slovenian is complaining quite a bit to refs more than we like, and that could take him down a few pegs because he hasn’t quite earned the “LeBron James” type of respect yet.
Nikola Jokic is easily the best player on his team, and everything he does sets the tone for everyone else. Jokic does not seem like the most vocal leader, and he seems to lead by example and his tremendous impact speaks for itself. Nikola also has a relaxed attitude, which means he is sometimes mistaken for lacking killer instinct. But that is simply his nature, and should not be a knock on him because he has carried the Denver Nuggets for years already. As a level-headed person, Jokic has proven to be a very talented leader and has a slight edge over Luka.
Basketball I.Q. - Nikola Jokic
Luka Doncic is a basketball mastermind because he affects the game in many ways including scoring, rebounding, and passing. At only 23 years old, Doncic is doing special things and he seems to understand how to dominate the NBA at a deep level. The Slovenian has been playing professionally since a teenager so all that experience has done him wonders in terms of understanding how defenses are set to stop him. No doubt, Luka’s basketball IQ is off the charts.
When it comes to basketball I.Q., Nikola Jokic is one of the greatest in NBA history at his position. We have not seen a better passer than Jokic at the center position, and that shows on the stat sheet. The Joker has averaged at least 7 APG for 5 straight seasons so far and is putting up a ridiculous 9.4 APG this season. Beyond the numbers, Nikola can make every pass on the floor which is why he is the point-center of the team in the half-court and on the break. Again, this is a tight comparison, but Jokic slightly has the edge because his passing and vision are surreal for a center.
Impact - Even
This is the hardest one to gauge because both superstars are playing at an extremely high level. Luka Doncic has already alarmingly impacted the league at the age of 23, and he carried the Denver Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals last year. He nearly averages a triple-double, carries the Mavericks all year long, and is already being compared to the likes of Larry Bird. Doncic has an offensive impact that ranks among the very best, and that is why he must be respected as a top-10 player in the world.
Jokic might be leading the MVP race for some voters this season because he impacts the game in every aspect of the game, whether it comes to shooting, scoring, passing, or defense. Without Jokic, the Nuggets are in the lottery but with him, they are the first seed of the Western Conference. If that does not signify impact, then nothing does. As great as Jokic is as a center, it will be hard to ignore what Luka is doing for the Mavericks and this one has to be considered even.
1 on 1 Game - Luka Doncic
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Even at his young age, Luka has already become one of the most unstoppable offensive machines in the NBA and is starting to see double teams come his way. He is just too deadly with the ball in his hands and will score the ball every time if there isn't a top-class defender guarding him. Even if there is a world-class defender on him, Doncic has the size to back him down and finish at the rim. People fail to realize that skill isn’t only what Luka has, because his 6’7” frame assists with him absorbing contact.
Jokic can score against any defender due to his back-to-the-basket game and shooting ability and has the size to be a factor defensively as well. At the same time, Nikola’s basketball IQ means he is often in positions to generate easy buckets. But again, Luka is a better scorer because he can go inside and outside more often than a center can and must have the edge. This is no knock on Jokic because the Serbian is getting better and better in one-on-one situations.
Career - Nikola Jokic
Luka Doncic has achieved a lot in a short amount of time. At the age of 23, Luka has 3 All-Star appearances to his name along with a Rookie of the Year award and 3 All-NBA Team appearances. The Slovenian also reached the Western Conference Finals last year and is looking to build upon his resume with at least a scoring title or MVP award. No doubt, Doncic’s start to his career could not have been better.
But Jokic has the better career thus far. The superstar center has won back-to-back MVP awards, made 4 All-Star Teams, and has 4 All-NBA selections to his name. Similar to Doncic, Jokic has made the Western Conference Finals before. Because the 27-year-old has played longer in the NBA, he has accumulated more accolades, and to be frank, his back-to-back MVP awards stick out the most.
Final Score
Luka Doncic vs. Nikola Jokic 2-4
This was a great comparison because we might be looking at 2 of the best players in the league. Of course, because of the way they play the game and even their appearances, they are often closely linked. While Doncic has already arrived as such, he will likely be taking the next step to MVP status very soon while Nikola is already a league MVP and one of the most unstoppable centers in recent memory. Both players have Hall of Fame talent and will be franchise players for the rest of their careers, but Nikla Jokic has managed to make a separation from Luka at this point in their careers.
Doncic is slowly becoming an MVP player and he very well might start receiving votes for it this year. He led his team to the Western Conference Finals last year when no one expected Dallas to do anything and was even the best player on one of the best offenses in the league. As a pure scorer, Luka has a big edge over Jokic because perhaps only Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum, and Joel Embiid can claim they can get buckets better than Doncic. But Jokic has more accolades, a smarter brain, and an attitude that signifies winning.
Time can change and Doncic will soon be the face of the NBA, but at this moment, two-time MVP Nikola Jokic is a better player than Luka. With a player comparison that stands 4-2, Jokic has a decent advantage as a player but he must continue to keep adding to his game and accolades because the Slovenian is hot on his heels.
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