Nikola Jokic has faced virtually every type of defensive strategy during his NBA career, and the Denver Nuggets center believes several opponents present different challenges.
When asked who defends him best, Jokic initially gave a simple answer: “Everyone.”
He then explained that Ivica Zubac and Jusuf Nurkic are particularly difficult matchups because of their physical strength and size.
“Everyone. Some teams defend very well as a unit, while others have excellent individual defenders. Zubac guards me really well, and so does Nurkic. I guess they’re just bulkier, so I can’t move them when we’re battling for position,” he said.
Jokic also mentioned several other prominent big men, noting that each creates problems in a different way.
“I think Rudy Gobert is a great defender, even though I’ve historically played well against him. Jalen Duren, he’s undersized but tricky.
“Wendell Carter Jr. is also on the shorter side, and Myles Turner blocks a lot of shots. There’s no need to even talk about Wembanyama. They’re all good; the league is talented on both ends of the floor.”
