Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic has come a long way since he got drafted in 2014. With the 41st pick in the 2014 NBA draft, Jokic surpassed all expectations fans and experts had for him. The 2-time reigning MVP is surely one of the best bigmen in the league, but according to ace sports analyst Bill Simmons, Nikola Jokic is better than Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.
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Nikola Jokic was clearly a sleeper in the NBA draft. He was the 41st pick in the second round of the draft and no one expected him to rise to the level he is on right now. Winning two consecutive MVPs and making a strong move for his third one, Jokic is surely a talent like no other.
Nikola Jokic is a generational talent
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For Simmons to not only compare but claim that Jokic is better than the three-time NBA champion Larry Bird may have been a bit of a stretch. Simmons went onto ‘The Bill Simmons Podcast’ to make this claim about Jokic.
He said, “But there’s something different when somebody just has freak vision, freak everything, and Jokic has it. Watching Sunday night was the first time I [thought], ‘This guy’s actually probably better than Bird offensively.’”
Fans, on the other hand, have been divided into two categories. One side agrees with Simmons while the other half gives credit where credit is due. One fan tweeted, “Larry Bird is overrated.”
But that fan was immediately humbled by another who commented on his tweet saying, “Did u ever watch him play a game? stop talking about stuff that happened when u werent alive.”
did u ever watch him play a game? stop talking about stuff that happened when u werent alive
— FREE TORY (@Dontkilthavibe) December 29, 2022
It’s silly, obviously modern players are generally more skilled. Just like humans live longer than our predecessors, we are also more informed, more healthy, more whatever bc evolution. Stop hyping these old dudes, watch their game, Larry slow ass shot getting blocked by anybody
— kill (@killthegrief) December 29, 2022
Cuz he does everything better in a harder era 🤣🤣🤣
— INSTA @4️⃣🅿️Fwh0dat ⚜️23-12 (@taefrmnola) December 29, 2022
So besides Larry Bird leading in everything offensively besides passing which is close. When has Jokic put up the stats when it mattered. When did he do this in the NBA finals. Cause Bird has. So until then its not close.
— Ian Shalk (@LimitZ_US) December 29, 2022
Fans who have seen Bird play weren’t on board with this analysis while the younger generation backed up Simmons’ claims.
How good was Larry Bird, actually?
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Larry Bird was arguably one of the best shooters in the history of the league. He wasn’t the most athletic player on the floor, but the Celtics legend used his basketball IQ to get the upper hand over stronger and faster players.
Bird once played a game shooting with his offhand, as he was looking for a challenge. He was also the first one to shoot the ball from behind the backboard in an actual game. Larry Bird led his team to the Eastern Conference finals in his very first year.
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Watch This Story – Larry Bird, Kobe Bryant, and other NBA stars who have bested Michael Jordan
And he followed that feat by leading the Celtics to an NBA championship the following season. But we will leave it in your hands. Do you think Nikola Jokic is better than Larry Bird? Let us know in the comments section down below.
