With the NBA season just around the corner, the EuroBasket is set to deliver some compelling matchups that will showcase how European stars are preparing for the upcoming campaign. Among those weighing in is Atlanta Hawks’ Kristaps Porzingis, who made headlines when he named the best player in the world — and it was not LeBron James or Stephen Curry.
Latvian center Kristaps Porzingis, now the centerpiece of the Hawks, spoke to the media about Latvia’s upcoming clashes against Turkey and Serbia. In particular, he highlighted Alperen Sengun and Nikola Jokic as key challenges while stressing the importance of these early games in the group stage.
“Jokic… This guy is probably No. 1 in the world. This is my opinion. It’s going to be a tough, tough challenge for us. We still have Turkey and Estonia first, and then Serbia. We have a little bit of time. We aren’t focused on Serbia yet, but we’re going to have our hands full,” Porzingis said when asked about facing Jokic and Serbia.
Porzingis and Jokic entered the NBA just one year apart, with Jokic debuting in 2014 and Porzingis arriving in 2015. Since then, the two have built a strong rivalry. Nearly a decade of competing against Jokic and other NBA stars gives Porzingis’ perspective on who is the best in the world added weight.
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets.
Over the years, they have squared off 14 times in the NBA, though never in the Playoffs. Jokic has come out on top in 10 of those meetings, while Porzingis has claimed victory in four. In those games, Jokic averaged 24.7 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists, while Porzingis posted 20.8 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists.
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One area where Porzingis has held an edge is rim protection. He has averaged 1.5 blocks per contest compared to Jokic’s 0.4 in head-to-head matchups. On the international stage, Serbia has won four of its last five meetings against Latvia, which underscores the uphill battle Latvia faces.
Right now, Jokic is considered by many to be the best player in the world. If he isn’t, then he is right alongside names such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even veterans like LeBron James and Stephen Curry continue to prove, despite their age, why they are still regarded as two of the greatest players of their generation.
