Conversations within the NBA often spark debates that seem endless — from who is the greatest player ever to the best defender or the top forward in league history. But one question continues to shift as eras change: Who is the most dominant player of all time? Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James offered a strong opinion this week, adding his voice to the growing discussion with a clear vote of confidence.
The conversation surrounding Nikola Jokic’s dominance reached a new level when James delivered some of his most resounding praise yet. Speaking on the Mind the Game podcast with Steve Nash, the Lakers star broke down why the Nuggets’ centerpiece has become one of the most unstoppable forces he has ever faced in his career. His remarks only intensified the ongoing dialogue about Jokic’s place among the league’s all-time greats.
“I was just talking to my good friend Jared Dudley and I was just like, ‘This guy is ridiculous,’” James said. “He was like, ‘Yeah, he is ridiculous.’ He’s been in Dallas the last few years and been around some great players, but this Joker guy, man… what the? In his last four or six games, is he not shooting like 77 percent from the field? And this is not like dunks and layups. This is everything. All three levels.” The astonishment in his voice clearly reflected the challenge Jokic presents.
As James continued, he expanded his point, emphasizing what separates Jokic from other dominant players he has faced. It wasn’t just the scoring. It was the completeness of the package — a rare combination of skill, vision, footwork, and basketball IQ that makes game-planning against him a nightly puzzle. Few players place this level of pressure on defenses from every angle of the floor.
Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets.
“There has not been a more dominant, complete player that I have played against,” James added. “In the sense of all the attributes that you just mentioned — from the passing to the shooting, to the rebounding, to the attention… there is nothing he cannot do on the offensive end.” For a player with James’ résumé to frame Jokic this way carries significant weight.
The numbers behind Jokic’s dominance
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Entering this season, Jokic had already cemented himself as a three-time MVP with career averages of 21.9 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game on 56.1 percent shooting, including 36.2 percent from three. For a seven-foot big man, his ability to orchestrate an offense is unprecedented, yet it’s only part of what makes him so hard to guard.
This season, he appears to be elevating his game even further, delivering one of the most complete stretches of his NBA career. Jokic is averaging 29.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 11.1 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game while shooting 62.6 percent from the field. He has guided Denver to a 13–4 record, placing them third in the West and four games behind the conference-leading Thunder. The numbers only reinforce what James stated — dominance on every level.
