Friday Faceoff: Is it too early to declare Nikola Jokic a top 10 player of all time?

Mark Kiszla, sports columnist

Answer: Yes, but …

My basketball memory is as old as those Chuck Taylors gathering dust in your grandpa’s attic. How many all-time great players have I seen with my own eyes who were more talented than Nikola Jokic?

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, LeBron James and Magic Johnson.

That’s it. That’s the list.

My love of hoops was born in the 1960s. And I’d take Bill Russell over Wilt Chamberlain in a heartbeat. Thanks for asking. But Oscar Robertson, the original triple-double machine, was better than either of those giants of the game.

In the discussion of big men, however, no right-minded analyst would leave Russ or Wilt off the top 10 list. But here’s where I’m certain to get heavy blowback. Although he’s only 30 years old and has won only a single championship with the Nuggets, I’d already rank Jokic ahead of Tim Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaquille O’Neal at the GOAT table.

Huge respect to the legend of Larry Bird, the Mamba heart of Kobe Bryant and the no-bad-shot artistry of Steph Curry. Among the greatest to ever lace up sneakers, these three rank seventh through 10th on my list.

So I have Joker knocking on the door, alongside Jerry West.

Not. Too. Shabby.

But how can Jokic knock down the door to the top 10 club?

Well, the way I see it, there’s only one man on the planet capable of stopping Oklahoma City from becoming NBA champions again this season?

Pull off that feat, and we’d all have to raise a toast of Rakija to Jokic.

Vinny Benedetto, Nuggets reporter

Answer: No

I thought Chuck Taylors were only good for bouncing around at rock concerts.

Anyway, Nikola Jokic’s prime has been longer and more impressive than anyone these eyes have seen outside of LeBron James, my 30-something-year-old’s standard for sustained excellence. Jokic is about to finish first or second in the Most Valuable Player vote for a sixth consecutive season. Neither LeBron nor Steph nor MJ can say the same. That’s a rare, unique feat in the modern game.

In an era defined by parity, Jokic has been a dominant force capable of producing an elite offense even when the team was without Jamal Murray for a season and a half. The NBA is deeper than it’s ever been, thanks to the game becoming increasingly global, and Jokic is having his best season to date.  The lack of multiple rings is the only knock for Jokic’s top-10 case at the moment.

The no-brainers ahead of the Joker are – in order – James, Jordan, Magic, Russell, Kareem, Bird and Wilt, even if I didn’t see most of those guys with my own eyes. Throw in Shaq or Steph if that’s your thing, but those guys had a lot more help during their respective championship runs, and there’s still room for a one-of-one talent in the top 10.

My memory is a bit shorter, but coming up with nine players with more impressive peaks is a challenge that’s only getting harder by the day.