The Incomparable Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić achieved something remarkable earlier this month, something that nobody in the history of the NBA has ever done. He delivered an impossible 30/20/20 game, a feat that neither Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, or even his now-teammate Russell Westbrook was able to achieve.
This led me to start the ever-persistent game of comparisons, more specifically in the realm of the things I am passionate about. Who is the Nikola Jokić of indie rock?
This is a difficult challenge. We start with the inherent struggle that the most popular indie rock musician is already less popular than, say, a pop star like Lady Gaga or a legend like Bob Dylan. But even then, we need to break down what it is that makes Nikola Jokić the player he is.
To start with, Jokić's most emblematic trait is his ability to do it all. Never have we seen a center with passing skills like Nikola. His Euro counterpart Arvydas Sabonis showed flashes of that effortlessness, but the numbers never agreed — as his best season, he averaged only 3 assists per game. Even six-time MVP and all-around NBA royalty Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—who averaged 5.4 assists per game at his best—did not match The Joker, who as of today is somehow having his best year yet with a colossal 10.3 assists per game.
So who is this multi-instrumentalist that even outshines legendary figures in music? Well, the first person that comes to mind is obviously Tame Impala. After all, did you know that it's just one guy? Kevin Parker is the mastermind behind all of Tame Impala's music. But does the body of work from Parker live up to the magnitude of Jokić's ethos? Maybe it's more like Sufjan Stevens, who in my mind is among the Mt. Rushmore of indie music talent. What's great about Sufjan is his ability to cover a wide range of genres, from the raw and emotional Carrie & Lowell, to the electric layers of Age of Adz, or the orchestral chaos of Illinois — few musicians can produce music that varied at such a high quality. But yet, Jokić’s range of skills outshines them all (if just barely).
But maybe there's a different way to think about this. A hallmark of Nikola is his efficiency. The NBA nerds love to gush over his advanced metrics, and with good reason. Looking at shot attempts, Jokić sits eighth in the league with 19.2 attempts—certainly not a particularly low number. But compared to his likely MVP competitor Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who sits at a league-leading 21.5 attempts per game, Jokić is shooting 57% compared to SGA's 52%. So back to our question: who is the indie rock version of NBA efficiency? And what does that even mean?
The first thought that pops into my mind is the psychedelic beloveds King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, who put out albums as frequently as three-pointers are taken in the NBA this season. But that comparison may actually be reserved for the aforementioned Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Before you come for me, Gizzheads, this is still a distinction of admiration. SGA is an MVP favorite, but releasing three albums a year means there can't possibly be strict quality control. Maybe the Jokić version is John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats, with a whopping 22 albums, some of which are among my all-time favorites. He also may or may not be a casual hoops fan himself judging from this photo. But for as much as I love Darnielle's music, the comparison still isn't quite right.
How can you compare someone like Nikola Jokić? He has amassed two MVPs and still somehow is in the midst of a career year, averaging a triple-double as a big man. It’s unheard of. So instead of trying to come up with who The Joker is like, let's revel in how unlike he is to anybody in the game of basketball or indie rock.
