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Jeff Teague and his podcast attract a lot of attention, especially since the former NBA star, now retired, often gives his opinions on what’s happening in the NBA. This time, Teague commented on two NBA superstars, Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić, both coming from the Balkans, a region in Europe. Teague pointed out that Dončić and Jokić don’t look like typical basketball players. However, they are very different in their playing styles. Luka is the type of player who tries to provoke his opponents and get a reaction, while Jokić is calmer and doesn't use trash talk in his everyday life.
“Jokić and Luka don’t exactly look like typical basketball players,” Jeff Teague said, as reported by basketballsphere.
“The thing is, Luka talks a lot, and Jokic isn’t any better. Luka starts talking trash, like, ‘I’m going to destroy you,’ and Jokić just wants to finish up and go home to do whatever he likes.”
Jeff Teague drew a comparison between Jokić and Dončić, comparing them to other NBA players. He believes that both of them are among the best, but they don't look like typical professional basketball players. Instead, they look more like people who smoke cigarettes and drink alcohol. Teague also thinks they are much more talented than most players, with the exception of two other names.
“Bro, imagine you walk into the gym and you see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Then you see Luka. No offense, but..Shai looks more like a basketball player. Luka looks like he smokes cigarettes and drinks beer. Jokic looks that way too. They seem like they smoke and drink beer. And yet, they’re two of the best players in the league; crazy, bro. They’re just so talented, way more skilled than other NBA players. Except for Kyrie and Steph, the biggest names,” Teague concluded.
Teague explained the difference between the Serbian player and American players by saying that Jokić is incredible because he doesn't really care about basketball the way others do; he's just better than everyone else. He mentioned that American players have to rely more on athleticism, such as being stronger, playing better one-on-one, dribbling better, and having a variety of moves. However, Jokić is just a great basketball player because of his skill. He’s not very athletic, he’s slow, and his body type is unusual for a basketball player.
Despite that, Teague stresses that he can still score 37 points, grab 18 rebounds, and dish out 15 assists, just using his skills. Teague said that if you took his athleticism and combined it with Jokić’s skill, it would be something truly special. He called Jokić "incredible" for being able to do all that.
Teague put an accent on the MVP race, stressing that it could easily become one-sided again if Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić keeps playing the way he is. He pointed out that Anthony Davis is currently first on the MVP list, but people are so used to Davis being great that it’s surprising when someone else is ahead of him.
While Davis is playing at a high level and impressing everyone, Jokić has a triple-double average, and people don’t make as much of a big deal about it anymore, because it’s just "how he plays." Teague called Jokić the best player in the NBA.
36-year-old joked that if he saw Jokić on the court without knowing who he was, he wouldn’t pick him, instead choosing a player like Jaxson Hayes, who is fast and athletic. But then, when they started playing, Jokić would score a ton of points on Hayes. Teague admitted that Jokić might not look impressive at first, but when it comes to the game, he’s unstoppable.
Fans reacted
One of Jokić's fans wasn't happy with these comparisons, stressing that there are many qualities that make a player complete, rather than just focusing on athleticism, muscles, and similar physical traits.
Many fans have expressed similar opinions, pointing out that too much attention in the NBA and sports, in general, is placed on a player's physical appearance instead of their actual skills. They emphasize that while Luka Dončić and the Serbian player might not have the "defined" and muscular bodies that people often associate with athletes, they are still top-level basketball players.
Fans remind others that Luka is almost 2 meters tall with a wingspan of 216 cm and broad shoulders, while Jokić, as a center, is 211 cm tall with a wingspan of 222 cm. Despite not having the typical "athletic" build, both are amazing basketball players with incredible skills that have nothing to do with how they look.
They believe that a true athlete is defined by their abilities on the court.
English (US)