When Nikola Jokic was drafted using the 41st overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, no one expected the Joker to become the superstar that he is today.
If anything, scouting reports about him were petrifying. But nine years down the line, a few scouting reports from 2014 are getting exposed. They couldn’t have been more wrong about Jokic. Speaking of which, here are the two scouting reports and their terrible predictions about Nikola Jokic from 2014:
Daniel O’Brien, Bleacher Report: “As previously mentioned, unathletic players can survive in the NBA and even earn prominent roles.
If Jokic can deliver accurate shooting and make the right plays when the ball is in his hands, he could be a poor-man’s Diaw and a long-range threat like Antic. Jokic would probably be the fourth or fifth scoring option when he’s in the game, but all that matters is whether he plays efficiently.
Unfortunately, his defense will likely prevent him from ever playing 30-plus minutes or starting. However, there’s no shame in being a respectable reserve on a winning team in the future.”
Stevan Petrovic, NBADraft.net: “An average athlete lacking great speed and leaping ability … Foot speed is a big liability. He may struggle to stay in front of NBA athletes at the center position … Needs to improve as a post player, gain strength and develop a repertoire of back to the basket moves … Defense is a real weakness at this point due to lack of lateral speed and lack of strength. His length is a big plus, but he’ll need to continue to work on becoming stronger and learn to anticipate in order to overcome his lack of quickness … Despite being a younger guy, his upside appears limited by his lack of explosiveness and foot speed.”
The two scouting reports were terrible. There is simply no other word to denote them. Jokic has continued to prove his doubters wrong with each passing season and is now all set to play in the 2023 NBA Finals.
If he can win an NBA Championship this season, Jokic’s scouting report will most likely go down as the worst prediction for a player.
No One Believed In Nikola Jokic’s Potential
More often than not, a second-round pick serves as a role player in the NBA. The same was expected of Nikola Jokic.
Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone recently said that no one thought Jokic could become a two-time MVP in the league. He also added, if someone claims otherwise, they are simply lying.
“That first Summer League in Vegas, 300 pounds, out of shape, ‘Hey, he’s a nice player,'” Malone said. “No one, and if anybody tells you different, they’re full of sh*t. No one could have seen that he’d be a two-time MVP passing Wilt Chamberlain, it seems like, every other night. That speaks to his dedication to his craft, getting in great shape, and understanding for him to fulfill his potential, he had to work harder. And he’s done that.”
To be honest, Jokic has surpassed all expectations by the media, scouts, and fans. He is currently arguably the best player in the NBA right now and will go down as an all-time great when it’s all said and done.
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