Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic are two unique centers who’ve taken it upon themselves to impact winning in whatever manner possible for their team. Veteran NBA power forward Charles Barkley weighed in on the debate, explaining why he thinks Jokic has a greater ability to affect the outcomes of the games, and Wembanyama is still learning it.
As happens frequently, four-time NBA champ Shaquille O’Neal provided a point of interjection for Barkley. For him, praising Jokic does not mean belittling what Wembanyama is doing with the Spurs at a much younger age.
Barkley: What the Joker’s doing right now, we’re just taking this dude for granted, man. He is the best basketball player in the world. He’s just going out there getting easy triple-doubles. And he ain’t getting them flukey, like 10 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists. He’s getting like 25, 16, and 17. But those three teams (Nuggets, Spurs, Lakers) are the best right now.
O’Neal: I hate it when you do that.
Barkley: Do what?
O’Neal: I agree with everything you said about the Joker, but don’t discredit what Wemby is doing.
Barkley: I’m not discrediting what Wemby is doing.
O’Neal: Their records are the same right now.
Kenny Smith: His impact on winning is the same.
O’Neal: He’s playing hard as well right now.
Barkley: Wemby’s playing great, but they’re not in the same…
O’Neal: Their record is similar, Chuck.
Barkley: No, they’re not the same animal, bro.
O’Neal: San Antonio is 8-2 and Denver is 8-2
Barkley: What I’m saying is if you had to take MVP right now, which is way too early, you’d go Joker, and Luka… Joker, Luka, and then Wemby.
O’Neal: You’re tripping.
Barkley also sees Jokic outplaying the reigning MVP, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, despite his team having an 11-1 record to begin the season. Jokic is averaging a triple-double while putting up such massive numbers, all while having excellent choice-making on the court and pacing the way for the Nuggets’ win.
Jokic has averaged 26.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, and 11.4 assists, shooting 66.9% from the field and 35.7% from the three-point line. He’s leading the league in assists despite being a center, which underscores his uniqueness at his position.
The 21-year-old Spurs star, on the other hand, is averaging 25.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, shooting 50.6% from the field and 32.6% from the three-point line. He’s also averaged 3.9 blocks this season, showing his astonishing contribution in defense.
What Wembanyama lacks in assists, he makes up for it defensively. Yes, Jokic is a complete player, and he’s been at the top of his game for multiple years now. But even Wembanyama is climbing up the ladder quickly, given how he’s built for the new-age system.
Although it is interesting to note that Jokic’s three-point shooting efficiency is better than Wembanyama’s, and he’s taking better shots from the rest of the field. Maybe the young Spurs star can pick up a thing or two watching the Nuggets veteran.
