'Jokic isn’t at the level of...' - Toni Kukoc's harsh take on Nikola Jokic

Nikola Jokic is the Denver Nuggets captain, but he is also one of the NBA's top players right now. The Serbian superstar has dominated the league in recent years. Jokic is expected to win his third MVP in four seasons, but a former Chicago Bulls great expressed that he still has a lot to show.

The former three-time Chicago Bulls champion Toni Kukoc drew lines with former Boston Celtics centre Dino Radja and Sacramento Kings ex-GM Vlade Divac, placing Jokic below the table. Toni Kukoc, Michael Jordan's important teammate who helped him achieve his second three-peat, made headlines today with an unexpected Nikola Jokic comparison.

Kukoc shared, “Despite the statistics, Jokic isn’t at the level of [Vlade] Divac and Dino [Radja] in the centre position…30 years ago, Divac surprised America with the way he handled the ball while being this tall. Radja when it comes to how he could catch the ball under the basket and reach the other side of the court to score.” (Source: Essentially Sports)

Jokic is not an athlete: Toni Kukoc

He still thought that there was much improvement needed in him. Even though Nikola Jokic is averaging 26.1 points, 12.2 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He also praised him for his pace in the game.  “Jokic is not an athlete, he doesn’t run as fast as American college players, but he has an incredible ability to get the game into a rhythm that suits him…He scores, assists, and catches balls, all in his own ‘mode’”, he stated.  (Source: Essentially Sports).

Dino Radja had only four seasons in the NBA, from 1994 to 1997. Radja played for the Boston Celtics for four seasons, and his diverse stats were not widely discussed at the time or today. Radja averaged 16.7 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across his four NBA seasons. Before joining the NBA, he won the 1987 U19 FIBA World Cup, defeating Team USA twice. Radja, Toni Kukoc, and Vlade Divac all competed in the U19 FIBA World Cup for Team Yugaslovia.