Nikola Jokic stamps case as NBA’s greatest draft pick after going 41st overall during a Taco Bell commercial

In case you participate even casually within the cesspool that’s NBA Twitter, you are very likely aware that Nikola Jokic was once drafted at some point soon of a Taco Bell commercial. 

Yeah, the man who has two standard-season MVPs and now one Finals MVP after turning within the Nuggets their first championship in franchise historic previous, the man who fair appropriate carried out primarily the most statistically dominant postseason in NBA historic previous, was once so inconsequential on draft evening in 2014 that he was once reportedly sound asleep when his household woke him as much as let him know that he had been selected forty first overall. Because the story goes, his title had popped up on the underside of the veil as something of a footnote to Taco Bell’s latest product, the Quesarito — half of quesadilla, half of burrito. 

With this in suggestions, and with the 2023 NBA Draft coming near, I’m inclined to request: Is Nikola Jokic the supreme draft opt in NBA historic previous? There’s obviously no definitive reply here. Everyone will have their very non-public standards. I deem the specific part on which cheap minds can agree is that Jokic is someplace reach the discontinue of any most effective-draft-opt listing. 

For my money, he’s #1 for one very easy motive: He is the supreme participant on a group that brought an NBA title to a medium-market franchise that has by no formula obtained a single championship without him. Manu Ginobili, let’s verbalize, was once picked nearly 20 spots lower than Jokic, at No. 57, the 2d-to-final opt, in 1999, but he was once by no formula the supreme participant, or arguably even the 2d-most effective participant, on a championship group. 

Ginobili, by formula of value to the group that drafted him (San Antonio Spurs), was once a monster opt, as was once his teammate Tony Parker, who went No. 28 overall in 2001. However they had been the Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon of those San Antonio groups. Jokic is the Tim Duncan. 

One other consideration: Draymond Green, who went Thirty fifth overall to the Golden Roar Warriors in 2012 and grew to turn into a four-time champion as one in every of the centerpieces of a dynasty and arguably the supreme defensive participant of his know-how. I even have Green at No. 2, fair appropriate within the abet of Jokic. 

Green’s teammate, Stephen Curry, is value a mention in this conversation. He was once no slam-dunk opt at No. 7 overall in 2009. The Timberwolves picked now not one, but two point guards (Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn) earlier than a man who has a solid case for being one in every of the ten supreme avid gamers in historic previous. However within the damage, going No. 7 is somewhat too high a opt to land on the discontinue of a draft-value listing. 

Akin to Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo was once a international draft opt that nobody gave a 2d thought supreme to manufacture into a two-time MVP who brought a title to a exiguous-market franchise. However Giannis went 15th. Or now not it’s big value for what he’s dropped on the Milwaukee Bucks, fabricate now not procure me harmful. Alternatively it be now not forty first-overall value. Jokic is in yet another league.

Kawhi Leonard was once picked within the specific identical location as Giannis, 15th overall, but he was once technically drafted by the Indiana Pacers after which traded to the Spurs, with whom he obtained two titles. However now not as the supreme man on the group, although he obtained Finals MVP in 2014. Leonard brought a title to a non-marquee group in Toronto, but in my thought, I’m grading on value equipped to the group that did the in point of fact drafting. So Kawhi goes below Giannis. 

What about Kobe Bryant? Tremendous opt. Fully gigantic value at No. 13 overall in 1996 to the Lakers. (Yes, I’m aware that he was once technically drafted by the Hornets, but it indubitably was once Jerry West and the Lakers who had what nobody else seen and made the traipse to procure Kobe.)

Jokic is clearly No. 1 in my ebook, but arguing Kobe as the supreme opt ever, all issues regarded as, is now not unreasonable. Gain me yet another participant who obtained five championships as either the supreme or 2d-most effective participant who was once drafted out of doors the discontinue 10. Drag ahead, I might wait. 

So long as we’re talking about Kobe, now we have got to discuss his inspiration: Michael Jordan, who went No. 3 overall in 1984. Tremendous opt. Completely the Rockets, and extra blatantly the Blazers, desire they’d’ve drafted him. However MJ was once a pleasing obvious opt at No. 3. It didn’t grab a genius to manufacture that name. 

At this point, since I’ve bounced round a chunk here, I might leave you with my non-public high 10 drafts picks in NBA historic previous, factoring to your complete components of value — draft role, value to the drafting franchise, championships, hierarchal standing on those championship or reach-championship rosters, MVPs, Finals MVPs, and heaps others. — to which I’ve alluded along the design. 

1. Nikola Jokic (forty first, 2014)
2. Draymond Green (Thirty fifth, 2012)
3. Kobe Bryant (Thirteenth, 1996)
4. Manu Ginobili (57th, 1999)
5. Giannis Antetokounmpo (15th, 2013)
6. Tony Parker (twenty eighth, 2001)
7. Kawhi Leonard (15th, 2011)
8. Marc Gasol (48th, 2007)
9. Karl Malone (Thirteenth, 1985)
10. Steve Nash (15th, 1996)

Just a few names that you might also behold lacking from this listing: Dirk Nowitzki, Larry Hen and Jimmy Butler. Nowitzki went No. 9 overall to the Mavericks in 1998. Yes, that’s a high slot, but for what Dirk equipped to the Dallas Mavericks, an absolute nothing franchise earlier than him, it be an all-time mountainous opt. No ask about it. That stated, it be a high-10 opt. A specific amount of greatness will must serene now not lower than be at some point soon of the realm of cheap expectations. 

Or now not it is the identical motive that the aforementioned Jordan and Curry pass over the lower, and the identical gored for Hen, who, powerful to the retroactive chagrin of five heaps of franchises, went No. 6 to the Celtics in 1978. 

As for Butler, whose Miami Warmth fair appropriate came within three wins of an NBA championship as a No. 8 seed, it be yet another fair appropriate argument. Butler has led Miami to 2 NBA Finals at some point soon of his four-twelve months Florida tenure. He went 30th overall, the final opt of the first round, in 2011, but a pair issues preserve him (barely) off this listing. 

For one, exiguous or no of Butler’s Hall of Popularity resume was once constructed with the Bulls, the group that drafted him. Second, no championships, no MVPs, no scoring titles, no first-group All-NBA selections, and heaps others. Or now not it is a troublesome line to design but this is a troublesome listing to slim down. I’ve completed my most effective. I’m positive you might per chance per chance have arguments.

And talking of arguments — to the alarm of their followers — Taco Bell discontinued the Quesarito in mid-April, fair appropriate as the playoffs had been getting underway. Possible It might per chance per chance per chance’ve been becoming for this info to have seemed within the stride whereas Jokic was once owning the veil Monday evening.