This chart shows that Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is the best basketball player on the planet
If the 56-point, 16-rebound, 15-assist masterpiece on Christmas Day wasn't enough to end the debate, a new visualization circulating through the NBA world has effectively sealed the verdict. Following Nikola Jokic’s historic overtime takeover against the Minnesota Timberwolves, a chart surfaced that contextualizes his dominance not just in the 2025-26 season, but across the entire decade.
The data, highlighted by analyst Lev Akabas, reveals a level of statistical ubiquity that seems almost broken. The chart tracks the NBA’s cumulative leaders in the 2020s, and the Denver Nuggets center sits in the top two for points, rebounds, assists, plus-minus, and—perhaps most shockingly—steals. To understand the absurdity of this spread, one must look at the competition: no other player in the league ranks in the top 10 for more than three of those categories. Jokic is top-two in five of them.
While the "points, rebounds, and assists" trifecta has become routine for the three-time MVP, the inclusion of defensive metrics like steals and plus-minus dismantles the lingering narrative that he is a one-way specialist. The chart visually isolates Jokic from his peers, creating a "party of one" that validates the eye test. We are currently watching a player averaging nearly a 30-point triple-double this season, yet the cumulative data suggests his peak is actually a sustained plateau that has lasted half a decade.
The timing of this data visualization is perfect. Fresh off breaking Stephen Curry’s overtime scoring record with 18 points in the extra period on Christmas, Jokic is currently averaging 29.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game. The chart proves that these aren't empty calories; they are the foundation of the most comprehensive individual run in modern basketball history. In an era defined by specialists and high-usage scorers, Jokic has mastered every facet of the sport simultaneously. When the numbers are laid out this starkly, the title of "best player on the planet" feels less like an opinion and more like a mathematical fact.
The data, highlighted by analyst Lev Akabas, reveals a level of statistical ubiquity that seems almost broken. The chart tracks the NBA’s cumulative leaders in the 2020s, and the Denver Nuggets center sits in the top two for points, rebounds, assists, plus-minus, and—perhaps most shockingly—steals. To understand the absurdity of this spread, one must look at the competition: no other player in the league ranks in the top 10 for more than three of those categories. Jokic is top-two in five of them.
While the "points, rebounds, and assists" trifecta has become routine for the three-time MVP, the inclusion of defensive metrics like steals and plus-minus dismantles the lingering narrative that he is a one-way specialist. The chart visually isolates Jokic from his peers, creating a "party of one" that validates the eye test. We are currently watching a player averaging nearly a 30-point triple-double this season, yet the cumulative data suggests his peak is actually a sustained plateau that has lasted half a decade.
The timing of this data visualization is perfect. Fresh off breaking Stephen Curry’s overtime scoring record with 18 points in the extra period on Christmas, Jokic is currently averaging 29.8 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 11.0 assists per game. The chart proves that these aren't empty calories; they are the foundation of the most comprehensive individual run in modern basketball history. In an era defined by specialists and high-usage scorers, Jokic has mastered every facet of the sport simultaneously. When the numbers are laid out this starkly, the title of "best player on the planet" feels less like an opinion and more like a mathematical fact.
