Podcast Summary: Hoops Tonight – Why Nikola Jokic is BY FAR #1 Player in NBA | Denver Nuggets

Podcast: The Herd with Colin Cowherd (Hoops Tonight)
Host: Jason Timpf (The Volume)
Date: September 14, 2025
Episode Theme:
A deep dive into why Nikola Jokic is the undisputed #1 player in the NBA, bolstered by statistical evidence, advanced metrics, a breakdown of his 2024-2025 season and playoff run, comparison with the league's other stars, and listener mailbag reactions.

Main Theme & Purpose

The episode concludes Jason Timpf's annual player rankings with a comprehensive, data-rich argument for Nikola Jokic as the NBA’s best player for the third straight year. Jason not only explains Jokic’s statistical dominance and evolution but also answers mailbag questions about player rankings, the potential of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (SGA) and Anthony Edwards, and broader topics on NBA content creation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Nikola Jokic’s Unrivaled Dominance ([02:48]–[17:54])

• Unchallenged at #1: For the third consecutive year, Jokic tops Jason’s list, with no real debate about his supremacy.

• Durability and Reliability:

  • 70 games played in 2024–25; only 75 games missed in his 10-year career (averaging over 74 games per season).
  • Absence this year mostly related to personal life, not injury. (“He has simply been one of the most reliable guys in the league for a decade.” [03:29])

• Career-Best Statistical Season:

  • 29.6 PPG (career high)
  • 12.7 RPG (2nd highest)
  • 10.2 APG (career high)
  • First time Jokic has averaged a triple-double, third in NBA history to do so for a season.
  • Defensive stats: 2.4 stocks (steals + blocks)/game, career-high 1.8 steals/game.

• Shooting Efficiency & Skill Growth:

  • 58% FG, 42% 3PT (career best), 80% FT.
  • “He rectified it and became the best shooter he’s ever been.” [04:55]
  • 63% effective FG, 66% true shooting—2nd highest of his career.

• Advanced Playtype Data (Synergy):

  • 1.13 PPP on ball screens (92nd percentile)
  • 1.08 PPP on ISOs (83rd percentile)
  • 1.16 PPP on post-ups; generated 867 post-up points—over 350 more than second place (Giannis).
  • 1.33 PPP on spot-ups (96th percentile), 1.29 PPP as roll man (2nd out of 10 bigs with 200+ reps).

• Impact in 2025 Playoffs:

  • Nuggets looked shaky late in the season, but Jokic invigorated an injured squad to beat a dangerous Clippers team and pushed Oklahoma City to the brink.
  • “Jokic galvanized them and got them to beat a very good Clippers team... I thought the Clippers were going to win and Jokic just got his team back in shape...” [07:51]

• Elevation on Defense:

  • Surpassed expectations, especially in playoffs.
  • “I thought he was pretty damn good on defense in the playoffs. Certainly better than he had been in the previous season.” [04:17]
  • Helped Denver’s defense stabilize and did well against OKC’s high-octane offense.

2. The Case for Jokic as the World’s Best ([10:58]–[17:54])

• Variance-Proof Offense:

  • Exceptional small-sample reliability, especially in clutch or crunch-time situations.
  • “He is quite simply the best offensive player I’ve ever seen. A deadly variance proof on- and off-ball scorer while also being the best passer...” [14:43]
  • Floater/hook shot accuracy:
    • 64% floaters, 61% hooks, 180 makes—unmatched volume and efficiency.
    • 55% on short jumpers (<17 ft), 47% long twos, 42% on threes (higher minus heaves).

• Unstoppable Play Creation:

  • Nearly impossible to force Jokic into a bad shot or bad possession.
  • Synergy 'score percentage'—more than a 50% chance any play type results in points when Jokic is the initiator.
    • “If we run this play, how likely are we to put points on the board? If you ran a post up for Jokic last year...54% chance.” [13:05]

• On-Margin Dominance:

  • 75 offensive rebound putbacks (7th in NBA), 2nd most defensive rebounds/game (behind Giannis).

• Addressing Weak Points:

  • Fixed 3PT shooting weakness (now near elite on pick-and-pop and spot-ups).
  • Defensive struggles in regular season were a team-wide issue, but he was “really good in the playoffs.”

• Situational Defensive Weaknesses:

  • Struggles vs. elite pick-and-roll playmakers (Steph, Luka), but his exceptional offense still gives Denver the advantage.
  • “Any problems that Luka and Steph can cause for Jokic, he’s going to cause a mountain of problems for them on the other end.” [16:30]
  • Thoughtful matchup discussion (matches up well with OKC; mentions possible issues vs. Cleveland’s pull-up shooting and floor spacing).

• Championship Prognosis:

  • “Denver is my preseason pick to win the title. I think they're going to be the best playoff team this year. They may not get the one seed, but I like...they got the best player in the world with the best team he's ever had...” [17:20]

• Big Picture Context:

  • Jokic is the first since LeBron to put a “stranglehold” on #1 status for three years running.

3. Mailbag: Player Rankings Philosophy & SGA vs. Luka vs. Jokic ([19:55]–[38:10])

Jason’s Rankings Process & Importance

• “My primary purpose of this list is to zoom out and take a look at where all these guys land, in just my opinion, so you guys can get a view of where I see things and where I see the game. That doesn't mean it has to be where you see the game, but most importantly...it's like kind of like a performance review...” ([20:05])

Listener Question: Can SGA or Ant Be the Best in the World?

• On SGA:

  • “I think Shea's the third best player in the world, so I'm not over here trying to say Shea's a bum. But if you're asking me why I have Luka and Jokic above Shea, I think both of those guys are...better offensive players than Shea.” ([23:25])
  • SGA’s scoring volume and efficiency are elite, but his offensive ecosystem and passing aren’t on Jokic or Luka’s level (“They're much better at running a team offense and are much better at setting those dudes up with quality opportunities.” [22:48])
  • Doesn’t see SGA’s defensive upside or playmaking reaching all-time-great heights required for “best in the world.”
  • “If Shea ends up being a guy who's the second, third, fourth best player in the league for seven, eight years, he's going to be remembered with the likes of Steph Curry and Kevin Durant...” ([30:10])

• On Anthony Edwards (“Ant”):

  • Has freak athletic upside and theoretical two-way potential (“He’s a guy who could blow up screens...could be a guy that was unscreenable because of how fast he is, because how good his footwork is and because of his strength in his shoulders.” [27:55])
  • More likely to be an elite scorer than a truly elite defender due to offensive load and off-ball limitations.
  • Predicts Ant and Shea will be “neck and neck for the rest of their careers...I don't think either of them ever actually end up threatening that best player in the world conversation.” ([28:45])

• On Future Challengers:

  • Luka and especially Victor Wembanyama (“Wemby”) are projected as true top-tier threats
    due to being “transcendently great at two things.”
  • “That's a guy that's a better basketball player than Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That's a guy that's a better basketball player than the most likely eventual version of Anthony Edwards.” ([32:05])

• What Does “Best Player in the World” Mean?

  • Must be transcendently great at at least two things (scoring, playmaking, defense)—examples: Steph in 2022, Giannis in 2021, LeBron, Kobe.
  • “When you get into that conversation—best player on the planet—it's an extremely high standard...” ([33:50])

• Thunder’s 2025 Title Context:

  • OKC’s championship was defense-led; SGA was crucial, but the “best player in the world” standard is still on another level.
  • “Their defense is so damn good, it literally forced Nikola Jokic into the first like stretch of mediocre basketball from him that we've literally ever seen...the third best player in the world ended up being enough offense for them to win.” ([35:35])

4. Mailbag: Team Comparisons, Deep Dives, and Content Strategy ([40:12]–[57:44])

Warriors vs. Mavericks Regular Season Outlook

• Argues that the Mavericks’ youth and defensive depth could lead to better regular season results than the older, injury-prone Warriors, but maintains Steph gives Golden State the playoff edge.
  • “I wouldn't be surprised if the Mavs ended up above Golden State in the regular season...” ([40:20])

Basketball Education: “Pistol Action” Explained ([42:21])

• Description:
  • A three-man early-offense concept: dribble handoff from the corner (or wing) into a pick from a big at the top of the key.
  • Also called “Chicago” or “Zoom” in some teams’ lexicons.
• Why Run It?
  • Forces defensive decisions, great way to create offensive advantage and flow into free, open play.
  • “It's essentially just a three man action that flows into a dribble handoff with the guard out of the corner coming off of the big at the top of the key...” ([43:19])
• Practical Advice:
  • “Once you have an advantage, there's no reason to run plays anymore. There's no reason to run a set. You just play basketball.” ([46:51])
• Personal Coaching Anecdote:
  • Used pistol extensively as high school coach; praises its effectiveness for casual or rec play.

Content Creation & Viewership Patterns ([52:00])

• Listener asks about off-season vs. in-season numbers and inclusion of big teams/players:
  • Viewership peaks: free agency, season start, trade deadline, and playoffs.
  • Off-season content is always down but annually growing, thanks to engaged audience.
  • Focus on big markets for main episodes, but dedicated segments/clips for all teams (“We're going to lead shows with bigger markets, bigger things, because that's just smart business. But we are going to cover the rest of the league...” [56:43])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Jokic’s offensive singularity:
  • “He is quite simply the best offensive player I’ve ever seen. A deadly variance proof on- and off-ball scorer while simultaneously being the best passer in basketball.” ([14:43])
• On what makes a ‘Best in the World’ player:
  • “When you get into that conversation—best player on the planet—it's an extremely high standard that you're looking to hit.” ([33:50])
• On SGA’s ceiling:
  • “If Shea ends up being a guy who's the second, third, fourth best player in the league...he’s going to be remembered with the likes of Steph Curry and Kevin Durant. … It's a very, very different conversation when you get into like, this dude's the best basketball player on planet Earth.” ([30:10])
• On basketball X’s and O’s:
  • “Once you have an advantage, there's no reason to run plays anymore... The entire purpose of running a set is to either get a layup or to get a guy an open catch at the three point line...” ([46:51])

Timestamps & Important Segments

• [02:48] – Main Jokic breakdown and stats
• [07:50] – Nuggets’ 2025 Playoff run
• [10:58] – Jokic’s ‘variance-proof’ offense and passing
• [13:05] – Synergy/advanced metrics for offensive reliability
• [16:30] – Defensive weaknesses and contextual matchups
• [19:55] – Mailbag: Rankings philosophy (why Jason does his list)
• [22:48] – SGA vs. Luka vs. Jokic: Offensive engine conversation
• [27:55] – Anthony Edwards’ defensive and offensive potential
• [30:10] – Historic context: What ‘best in world’ means
• [35:35] – Thunder’s 2025 championship was defense-driven
• [40:12] – Warriors vs. Mavericks: age, depth, regular season
• [42:21] – X’s and O’s: Pistol Action explained
• [52:00] – Content viewership strategies and content organization

Episode Flow & Tone

The episode is deeply analytical, thorough, and sports-talk conversational—filled with data, advanced stats, and honest responses. Jason’s language is direct, perceptive, and lively, punctuating statistical observations with personal insights and commentary.

For New Listeners

• This episode is a masterclass in modern NBA stardom, with Jokic as the case study.
• It’s also a practical primer on how rankings should be analyzed, player offensive value is contextualized, and how content creators think about audience engagement.
• The mailbag offers everything from macro-level NBA philosophy to real coaching tips and media business insight, making it a densely packed and highly informative show for fans, coaches, and basketball nerds alike.