Finding a gem in the NBA Draft is tough, let alone in the second round. But the Denver Nuggets pulled it off when they took Nikola Jokic with that 42nd overall pick back in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Jokic rapidly climbed his way up Mike Malone’s rotation, taking over as the team’s starting center, and getting more confidence as the years went by. Now, he’s arguably the best player on the planet.
That’s why coach Malone took some time to pat himself on the back over the decision to build his entire roster and scheme over this unknown kid out of Serbia, who’s now an NBA champion.
Mike Malone Praises Himself For Building Around Nikola Jokic
“I’m talking to myself,” Malone said after the win. “This kid was All-Rookie as a center, and here I am bringing him off the bench and playing him as a 4 and a 5. And I said, ‘Screw everything.’ Nikola’s a center. He’s our center. And the next game, I started him at center. From that point in time, our offense, our team, our winning, everything just went straight up.”
“I made a decision that he would become the focal point of everything we do, every decision we make, every player we bring in has to be somebody that can play with and complement Nikola,” the coach continued.
“Now, knowing what this means,” Malone added. “It was just a really truly defining moment in this franchise’s history because I think everything at that point in time changed and changed for the better. It was the best decision I ever made.“
Not even Mike Malone ever thought that decision would lead to this, as Jokic has surpassed all projections and expectations, reminding us that some things simply cannot be measured.
