Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has been around for a while now, as he’ll turn 60 in September later this year. Kerr has had the privilege of witnessing many great centers in action over the years and stated before Friday’s game against the Denver Nuggets that Nikola Jokic is the best he’s ever seen.
“He’s the best center I’ve ever seen,” Kerr said, via Vic Lombardi. “I played against Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar]. I’m that old. And Kareem couldn’t do all this stuff. He’s absolutely one of the smartest players ever.”
There has never been a center who can do all that Jokic does at a high level. The Serbian is averaging 29.7 points, 12.8 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game for the Nuggets in 2024-25.
Jokic had the first-ever 30-20-20 game in NBA history against the Phoenix Suns on March 7 and put up a 61-point triple-double against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Tuesday. He’s doing things that we have never seen before, especially from someone who plays that position.
Jokic has put together an impressive resume, too, having won a title, a Finals MVP, and three MVPs. The 30-year-old is undoubtedly one of the greatest centers in NBA history.
While Jokic is the best center Kerr has ever seen, he’ll have to win more titles for others to start believing that too. The Warriors’ head coach brought up Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and the Hall of Famer has won six titles. As for some of the other names in the conversation for best center ever, Bill Russell has 11 titles, Shaquille O’Neal has four, and Wilt Chamberlain has two.
Jokic needs some more silverware to really thrust himself into that conversation. The six-time All-Star is aiming to win his second title this year, but the Nuggets certainly aren’t one of the favorites. They currently have a 47-30 record, which is good but not great.
Jokic has had to carry this Nuggets team on his back for long stretches this season, and he’ll need the likes of Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. to step up in the playoffs. They did just that in 2023, but will they in 2025? Time will tell.
Steve Kerr Called Draymond Green The Best Defender He’s Seen
Jokic isn’t the only one Kerr has had some very high praise for recently. Back in March, he hailed Draymond Green as the best defender he’s seen.
“He’s the best defender I’ve ever seen,” Kerr said, via Dalton Johnson. “I mean, you see the pick-and-roll with [Damian Lillard]. If he’s in it, he kind of does this fake blitz thing with his speed, with his anticipation. He forces Dame back out towards halfcourt, and he’s able to get back. The speed and recovery with Draymond is just stunning.”
“Then the brain that goes with it,” Kerr stated. “If he’s on the weak side, he’s constantly coming over to help. He’s one of the great defenders of all time, and he’s still doing it at a high level.”
Kerr later shared his list of the three greatest defenders of all time. Joining Green on that list were Kerr’s former teammates, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. While there might be a little bit of bias involved, there is no denying that those three are among the best defenders this league has ever seen.
