Ha, Get it? It sounds like Nikola JOKIC LOL
This guy has been generating “they write themselves” jokes for NBA Twitter for years; congrats to Nikola Jovic for landing at 22 in our community draft board.
Is the name similarity helping him potentially get drafted around 20 picks before Nikola Jokic did? Maybe. But there’s some stuff to like with him too. Another of the late bloomer types who was originally a guard but grew several inches (s/o Jon Leuer), he likes having the ball in his hands even though he stands at nearly 6’10”. He finished just 34% from deep though, and his slight frame make me worry about how he would hold up defensively.
He’s young, so there’s the chance he can add more to his frame. However, it sounds like he also needs the ball in his hands to be able to be most effective. He’s got some playmaking to his game, which is always helpful, but will he get those opportunities when he’s drafted this late, presumably to a potential deep Playoff team? I’m not sure, but he seems like a better gamble for someone rebuilding with a late round pick.
Here is some of the commentary from Mike Schmitz on ESPN, published back in January:
To earn those reps, Jovic will have to improve drastically on defense, as he’s a bit too upright to consistently stay with perimeter players yet not quite physical enough to bang with true bigs on the interior. Evolving his off-ball defense and stabilizing his often-fluctuating motor will really help him win the margins, as he’s likely never going to quite have the range or flexibility to be a 1-on-1 stopper. He has shown signs of growth lately, bodying up forwards like Rodions Kurucs on penetration and using his positional length to change shots in the paint.
John Hollinger in The Athletic also alluded to the fact that Jovic, unlike some past international prospects that blossomed, had underwhelming stats in the Adriatic League.
Regardless, I can’t say I’ve read too much that makes me impressed, but there’s gotta be some upside if he’s ranking this high.
Here’s our list so far:
- Chet Holmgren
- Jabari Smith
- Paolo Banchero
- Jaden Ivey
- Keegan Murray
- Dyson Daniels
- Shaedon Sharpe
- Bennedict Mathurin
- A.J. Griffin
- Jalen Duren
- Johnny Davis
- Jeremy Sochan
- Ousmane Dieng
- Ochai Agbaji
- Mark Williams
- E.J. Liddell
- TyTy Washington Jr.
- Jalen Williams
- Malaki Branham
- Tari Eason
- Dalen Terry
- Nikola Jovic
And here’s the usual spreadsheet from Adam Spinella. Let’s vote for 23.
This poll will close at 8 am central, June 19.