There are so many things that go into making Nikola Jokic the best passing big man of all time. There are supercomputer brains that can see passing lanes that no one has ever thought of. With either hand, he has an incredible touch that puts the ball directly into his teammate's shooting pocket. There's also a certain audacity that comes with knowing you're the best player in the world at the peak of your powers. That's the space Jokic currently occupies.
Jokic is still a top-five MVP candidate in the latest rankings, despite having a bit of a “slow start” by his standards for the first 40 percent of the season. The Denver Nuggets big man showed off his unique passing skills in the first quarter of his team's game against the Charlotte Hornets on Monday. Jamal Murray fed Jokic the ball in a pick-and-roll, and the superstar center fired a one-handed touch pass to the corner for a wide-open Peyton Watson 3-pointer. Watch the play here:
Jokic realized Murray was attempting a touch pass the moment he fired his entry pass. The two-time MVP barely touched the ball and made a pass on the money, where Watson took a shot.
For a young, developing player like Watson to be able to start his career next to a historic talent like Jokic would be a great thing. Big men just make the game easier for all of their teammates and this is a prime example of that.
There are great passers in the NBA right now, from Tyrese Haliburton to Luka Doncic to Trae Young to LeBron James, but I don't think there's anyone else in the league who can make the kind of touch passes that Jokic did to Watson. This is his specialty and part of why he is the best player alive.
