Nikola Jokic has established himself as one of the best players in the NBA today. With an NBA championship, three MVP awards, and an NBA Finals MVP to his name, the Denver Nuggets superstar continues to prove his greatness. Even as the Nuggets face challenges this season, Jokic has consistently delivered outstanding performances in nearly every game.
However, former Los Angeles Lakers star Dwight Howard recently made a bold claim regarding Jokic. Howard was one of the most dominant centers during his peak years. While Jokic has dominated today’s NBA with his skill and versatility, Howard claimed on 7PM In Brooklyn that his prime years would have been too much for the Serbian star to handle.
“If he played in the era that we grew up in or we started in, then I’m gonna be on him from the time he gets in the game to the end of the game. Every play, I’m going to the glass, rebounding. Every rim run, I’m gonna try to get to the front of the rim,” Howard said.
Prime Dwight Howard vs. MVP Jokic would be must-see-tv🍿
— 7PM in Brooklyn (@7PMinBrooklyn) February 1, 2025
"My goal is to tire him out … he's gonna have a tough time having to deal with me in my prime." pic.twitter.com/VyLayo2dji
“I’m putting as much pressure as I can on him on the offensive end. My goal is to tire him out. He’s gonna have a tough time dealing with me in my prime,” Howard added.
Dwight Howard Details How He Would Defend Nikola Jokic
During a recent podcast appearance, Howard shared how he would approach guarding Jokic if they ever faced off in their primes. He pointed out that Jokic often has the advantage of not facing elite big men every night.
“From what I’ve been watching, he’s able to relax on defense a little bit because he’s not playing against Joel Embiid every night or something like that. To stop Jokic, I would pressure him, just try to mentally get in his head, and then on offense, I’m going right at him,” Howard said.
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Jokic, one of the top MVP candidates of this season, is averaging 31.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game. While Howard’s confidence is clear, there is little chance for him to prove this theory on the court again. Fans are left to wonder if Howard’s defensive skills could have truly stopped Jokic, especially in his prime.
