In a recent podcast interview with Michael Porter Jr.’s Curious Mike Podcast, Josh Kroenke, the owner of the Denver Nuggets, discussed the team’s success, Nikola Jokic’s exceptional talent, and the decision to draft Michael Porter Jr. despite his injury history.
MPJ gets a lot of heat (deserved) for his podcast, but this is one of the best Jokić stories I’ve ever heard.
How owner Josh Kroenke and staff chose Jokić over Nuckić pic.twitter.com/Y5vyIRyIzB
— PBR 🫧 (@Nuggetsby40) April 17, 2024
Despite the perception that Jokic prioritizes his horses over basketball, he emphasized his dedication to the game and his obsession with winning.
The controversy surrounding Porter’s podcast only highlighted the Nuggets’ deliberate choice to build around Jokic, reflecting their long-term vision for the team.
The team made a strategic decision in 2015 to build the roster around Jokic instead of Jusuf Nurkic, based on a statistical analysis that showed Jokic outperforming Larry Bird in his sophomore season.
While this decision was controversial at the time, it has proven to be the right one, as Jokic has become a two-time NBA MVP and is aiming for a back-to-back NBA title.
The Nuggets will face the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the playoffs, and Jokic recognizes the toughness of their opponent despite their regular season success against them.
Jokic’s impressive performance against the Lakers in previous matchups indicates that the Lakers should be worried if they hope to pull off an upset in the playoffs.
Fans reacted as follows:
So good!!! I'm glad the Nuggets saw it early and decided to build around Jokic!
— Ernie (@BroncosOutside) April 18, 2024
He does not deserve heat for having a curious mind
— kombucha pilled (@falafel_papi) April 17, 2024
Absolutely undeserved. He’s a human being that talks to a variety of people and therefore says a variety of things that *can* and *will* piss off a select few. That’s on them. He’s at least engaging with people face to face. This is a dead art today.
— Nazgul (@HoodedNazgul) April 17, 2024
@AndrewDBailey changed the history of the Nuggets lol
— MP (@backlandar) April 17, 2024
Deserved?
— Buddy (@cuzim2rich) April 17, 2024
He gets a lot of heat? How so?
— Mike Oh (@mikejortega) April 17, 2024
@StealsGalore @spady_ryan @WySooo the goat
— Jordan Bailey (@jbails91) April 17, 2024
“Deserved” – not really / just internet warriors picking at scabs
— Kenny (@KennyNollsch) April 17, 2024
