Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić named to All-NBA second team
Sep 16, 2020, 4:20 PM | Updated: 4:20 pm
Denver, September 16, 2020 – The NBA announced today that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has been named to the All-NBA Second Team as voted on by members of the media.
Jokić becomes the fourth Nuggets player to earn All-NBA team honors in consecutive seasons (Thompson, English, Anthony) and the first since Carmelo Anthony in 2008-09 and 2009-10.
Jokić averaged 19.9 points, 9.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.2 steals while shooting 52.8% from the field and 31.4% from three in 32.0 minutes per game in 2019-20. He became the first center since Wilt Chamberlain in 1966-67 and 1967-68 to average at least 19 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in back-to-back seasons and is the only player in NBA history to do so in less than 35 minutes per game.
The Sombor, Serbia native was named to his second straight All-Star team this past season while helping lead the Nuggets to the three seed in the Western Conference playoffs. Denver earned their second straight division title and advanced to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2009.
The 25-year-old, was named Western Conference Player of the Week once (Feb. 10th), finished the year with 13 triple-doubles, tied for second most in the NBA and the second most in a single season in Nuggets franchise history (Lever, 16, 1986-87). Additionally, he proved to be one of the most clutch players in the NBA. Jokić led the league with four game winning field goals, was first in field goal makes, second in total points and third in assists in crunch time (last five minutes of game within five-or-fewer points).
He became the third fastest player in NBA history (Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson) to record his 35th career triple-double, doing so in his 339th career game on December 28th. The Joker also posted a career-high 47 points (16-25 FG’s, 4-8 3FG’s, 11-16 FT’s) with eight rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes at Atlanta on January 6th, only Kiki Vandeweghe scored more points in less minutes in franchise history.
Jokić is the seventh Nugget to be named to an All-NBA team, joining David Thompson, Alex English, Fat Lever, Antonio McDyess, Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony.
