If there is a person who is well placed to speak about Nikola Jokicit's Ognjen Stojakovic. The latter is indeed not only assistant coach in Denver, but also with the Serbian selection. Clearly, he works all year long with the pivot.
That is why, after the bronze medal won in Paris at the Olympic Games, he believes that the triple NBA MVP has taken on a new dimension at home. We remember that he was applauded with Novak Djokovic and the other crowned athletes this summer on his return to Serbia.
“The first thing I notice, generally, is that our people are not aware of the quality of the player that they are,” estimated Ognjen Stojakovic. “If you don't win something with the national team, you're not appreciated as much as those who do, no matter how successful you are elsewhere. Nikola Jokic did win silver with Serbia in Rio, but he didn't play as big a role as he did this summer. I think people are only starting to realize what a great player he is.”
“Is he clearly one of the best players in history? Absolutely!”
Between 2016 and 2024, the Denver player has obviously progressed enormously. And if Serbia went to get this assistant, who works in Colorado, it is precisely to help the pivot and his teammates to get along as is the case with the Nuggets.
“It is both true and false,” he answers. “From the outside, people say it’s easy to play with Nikola Jokic, but they don’t realize it’s also difficult. He’s atypical, and that’s hard to accept for some players. Everyone has to adapt, change, and at the same time, stay themselves. We did a good job, the results show it. But is it easy? Not really.”
In the middle of a sentence, the Serb lets out a hell of a compliment. “After all, we are playing with perhaps the best player of all time, in a totally atypical team.” The best, really? “I don't want to make a ranking, in a team sport, it doesn't make sense”tempers Ognjen Stojakovic. “Is he clearly one of the best players in history? Absolutely! If I say that it is because – besides what he won, his statistics – he changed basketball. Revolutionary players are unique. He is part of that category.”
| Nikola Jokic | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | LF | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | DEN | 80 | 22 | 51.2 | 33.3 | 81.1 | 2.3 | 4.7 | 7.0 | 2.4 | 2.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 0.6 | 10.0 |
| 2016-17 | DEN | 73 | 28 | 57.8 | 32.4 | 82.5 | 2.9 | 6.9 | 9.8 | 4.9 | 2.9 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 0.8 | 16.7 |
| 2017-18 | DEN | 75 | 33 | 49.9 | 39.6 | 85.0 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.1 | 2.8 | 1.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 | 18.5 |
| 2018-19 | DEN | 80 | 31 | 51.1 | 30.7 | 82.1 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 7.3 | 2.9 | 1.4 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 20.1 |
| 2019-20 | DEN | 73 | 32 | 52.8 | 31.4 | 81.7 | 2.3 | 7.5 | 9.7 | 7.0 | 3.0 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.6 | 20.0 |
| 2020-21 ★ | DEN | 72 | 35 | 56.6 | 38.8 | 86.8 | 2.9 | 8.0 | 10.8 | 8.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 3.1 | 0.7 | 26.4 |
| 2021-22 ★ | DEN | 74 | 34 | 58.3 | 33.7 | 81.0 | 2.8 | 11.0 | 13.8 | 7.9 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 3.8 | 0.9 | 27.1 |
| 2022-23 | DEN | 69 | 34 | 63.2 | 38.3 | 82.2 | 2.4 | 9.4 | 11.8 | 9.8 | 2.5 | 1.3 | 3.6 | 0.7 | 24.5 |
| 2023-24 ★ | DEN | 79 | 35 | 58.3 | 35.9 | 81.7 | 2.8 | 9.5 | 12.4 | 9.0 | 2.5 | 1.4 | 3.0 | 0.9 | 26.4 |
| Total | 675 | 31 | 55.7 | 35.0 | 82.7 | 2.6 | 8.1 | 10.7 | 6.9 | 2.7 | 1.2 | 2.9 | 0.7 | 21.0 | |
How to read the stats? GM = Games Played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Shots Made / Shots Attempted; 3pts = 3-pointers / 3-pointers Attempted; LF = Free Throws Made / Free Throws Attempted; Off = Offensive Rebound; Def = Defensive Rebound; Tot = Total Rebounds; Pd = Assists; Fte: Personal Fouls; Int = Steals; Bp = Loose Balls; Ct: Blocks; Pts = Points.
