Nikola Jokic’s astronomical rise to stardom happened after the 2019-20 NBA season.
In the 2019-20 NBA season, Nikola Jokic earned his second All-Star selection in his career. But he wasn’t the best player in the league.
Obviously, Jokic’s Denver Nuggets couldn’t get past the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals.
Since that loss, Jokic has won three NBA MVP awards and led the Nuggets to their first championship in franchise history. That’s a huge leap forward, and former NBA star Dwight Howard seems to know why.
Howard was a member of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2020 NBA Championship winning roster and played a key role in stopping the Joker at WCF.
Fast forward to 2025, and Howard is shocked by Jokic’s rise as a superstar.
“It’s crazy watching what he’s doing. I’m watching and I’m like, ‘Are they really trying to defend or are they trying to kill these guys?’
“Are they afraid to foul? What’s going on? But he’s got so many weapons. He’s gotten so much better,” Howard said on his podcast.
Dwight then explained why losing to the Lakers in 2020 was the biggest reason for Jokic’s change as a player.
“When we played against them in the bubble, I really think that lit a fire in him: ‘No, we’ve got to win, we’ve got to go back and get better,'” he added.
As good as Jokic is, he’s not known for his athleticism on the hardwood. However, that is no longer the case as Jokic has proven that he can actually dunk a basketball well.
Howard said a big reason for that is because Jokic has lost weight and gotten faster on the court.
“I’ve seen his game get a little leaner, but you can see the burst. He’s starting to move a little faster and get into the action,” the 2020 NBA champion continued.
He concluded, “I watched him before the game, and he was making dunks and things like that, and he was taking his game to a new level.”
Still, Jokic alone won’t help the Nuggets win another NBA title. After all, the Oklahoma City Thunder currently has the most well-rounded roster in the Western Conference.