Nikola Jokic: The Best Player no one is investing in

Jason Neuman | Nov 26, 2024

Nov 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) raises a hand after a play during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

Nikola Jokic isn't just having a dominant season - he's having a season so remarkable, it's redefining what it means to be the best player in the world. This year, the three-time MVP is averaging more points than Kobe's MVP season, more assists than Steve Nash's MVP season, more rebounds than any of Tim Duncan's MVP seasons, and a higher three-point percentage than any season of Steph Curry's career.

While Jokic is reaching new highs on the court, his sports card prices seem to be doing the opposite. Here's a chart of Nikola Jokic's card prices over the past month.

https://app.cardladder.com/players/Nikola%20Jokic

An often forgotten hobby rule, is that long term card growth is driven more by popularity than talent, and this chart reflects just that. Despite being the reigning MVP, Nikola Jokic ranked 13th in jersey sales last year, trailing behind players like Ja Morant, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Maxey.

https://www.nba.com/news/top-selling-jerseys-2023-24-season-2

While it's true that big men don't usually get the hobby love they deserve, Nikola Jokic makes you wonder if he should be the exception. He doesn’t play like a traditional big man, dishing out more assists than most guards, let alone players his size. And that’s before you even consider his extraordinary court vision and elite basketball IQ.

So will he be the exception? Only time will tell. But it's worth mentioning that buying the dip can sometimes yield the best results.

Nov 23, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) smiles during the first half against the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images / Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images