As Spain prepares to defend its crown at FIBA EuroBasket 2025, Santi Aldama has made headlines not only for embracing his role on the national team but also for the way he described Nikola Jokic. The Memphis Grizzlies forward, speaking to FIBA ahead of the tournament, offered high praise for the reigning NBA Finals MVP.
“He’s probably a combination of both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Luka Doncic. He always makes the right read. If he doesn’t have the ball, it’s probably better for us.”
It was a striking comparison, one that immediately sparked conversation among fans and analysts. Aldama’s words highlight just how unique Jokic has become in the modern game.
The Doncic comparison is easy to see. Like Luka, Jokic dictates the pace of the game on his own terms. He has the ball in his hands more than most centers in history, orchestrating Denver’s offense with pinpoint passes, creative angles, and an uncanny ability to make reads before defenses even react.
Jokic doesn’t need speed to beat you; instead, he bends the game with vision and patience, much like Doncic does for Dallas.
The Giannis part is a little more complicated, but Aldama’s logic has merit. Jokic is not the freak athlete Antetokounmpo is, nor does he dominate games through sheer force and verticality.
But his presence in the post is every bit as imposing. Jokic can bury defenders with bruising footwork, create space with spins and fakes, and finish over or around any coverage. Much like Giannis, once he gets deep position, he’s essentially unguardable.
Where the similarities diverge is on the defensive end. Giannis is a perennial Defensive Player of the Year candidate because of his mobility, rim protection, and ability to cover multiple positions.
Jokic, for all his progress as a team defender, does not possess the athletic tools to match that. Still, his rebounding dominance and ability to control possessions with his body positioning give him his own brand of defensive impact.
The fact that Aldama sees both Luka and Giannis in Jokic speaks volumes about the Serbian superstar’s all-around brilliance. In the past five seasons alone, Jokic has become the face of positional evolution in basketball—averaging near triple-doubles, winning three MVPs, and cementing himself as the league’s most versatile offensive force.
Spain will likely have to deal with Jokic and Serbia at some point in EuroBasket, and Aldama knows what that means
For now, Aldama and Spain will focus on their group-stage battles in Limassol. But his comparison serves as another reminder of Jokic’s place in the game: a player who blends the playmaking genius of Luka Doncic with the post dominance of Giannis Antetokounmpo, all while creating something entirely his own.
