Jokic's talent was there from the beginning.
There may have been no way to expect Nikola Jokic to become the layer he is today, but the signs were always there.
When Jokic came into the league, he was a player with obvious height and scoring capabilities, but he was also a relative unknown, now-famously drafted in the second round of the 2014 NBA Draft during a Taco Bell commercial and started out as a relatively skinny player with a lot left to learn.
While he would one day grow into the three-time MVP, he started out as a promising role player, but even though his beginnings were as humble as could be, his teammates in the early days of his career could see the potential that he had.
Washington Wizards forward Danilo Gallinari (88) holds the ball during the first half against the Charlotte Hornets at Capital One Arena. Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY SportsDanilo Gallinari could certainly see Jokic's potential. Gallinari played alongside Jokic with the Denver Nuggets for two seasons from 2015-17 and in a recent interview with HoopsHype, Gallinari shared what it was like to play alongside Jokic in his early days and how remarkable it is to see what he's become today.
Gallinari Speaks on Jokic
"I knew he was gonna be a great player," Gallinari said. "I didn't know he was gonna be a three-time MVP, but I knew he was gonna be a great player, and you could see that the franchise wanted top go in that direction."
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) works around Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) in the third quarter at Target Center. Bruce Kluckhohn-Imagn ImagesAs much as Jokic was in need of some development, the intangibles that have made him so great today still existed back when he first started his NBA career. The playmaking and court vision that has made him the premier shot creator in the NBA today, especially at his position, was already present when he was younger.
While time and experience was one factor that simply allowed Jokic to grow into the player he is now, another is an elevated position within the Nuggets.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) is fouled by Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) as he handles the ball during the first half in game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Ball Arena. Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn ImagesMore Usage Let the Talent Shine
As Gallinari touched on, the Nuggets soon realized that Jokic was going to be their franchise player and made moves to center their roster construction around him.
He was a full-time starter in the NBA as soon as the 2017-28 season, where his usage jumped up to 32.6 minutes per game, and as soon as he was given more opportunities on the court, his numbers climbed up dramatically.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) controls the ball under pressure from Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (5) and center Robert Williams III (35) in overtime at Ball Arena. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesFrom there, the rest is history. Jokic began a rapid rise through the NBA and became the perennial MVP candidate and triple-double machine that has led the Nuggets to so far one NBA championship.
Looking at the NBA today, it can be hard to imagine a time where Jokic wasn't as dominant as he know is, but even in the infancy of his career, the telltale signs of greatness were already apparent under the surface and just needed time and opportunity to make themselves known.
