Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic took shots at his critics over his level of commitment to basketball.
Jokic is going through the 11th season of his NBA career with the Nuggets. He made his way up the ranks as one of the best players in the entire league, often making it look effortless with his elite skill set.
With how easy he has it looked, it gets critics to debate on whether the veteran superstar cares enough about the game over the past few seasons. Jokic finally addressed those takes during an interview with ESPN's Malika Andrews, shutting down the idea that he doesn't care.
“There's a lot of people who say, ‘well how much does he care?'” Andrews asked.
“I care a lot. … I think if you don't care for winning you're not supposed to be in this sport,” Jokic responded.
"There's a lot of people who say, 'well how much does he care?'"—@malika_andrews
"I care a lot. … I think if you don't care for winning you're not supposed to be in this sport."—Nikola Jokić 🏀 pic.twitter.com/oASUyjZSCf
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 18, 2026
What lies ahead for Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets
It's clear that Nikola Jokic has long proven himself to be a dedicated winner in the NBA. That is especially the case throughout his time with the Nuggets, getting them to the mountaintop with the 2023 championship.
Jokic continues to be remarkable throughout the 2025-26 season. He has been averaging 28.7 points, 12.3 rebounds, 10.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game throughout 39 appearances. He is shooting 59% from the field, including 42% from beyond the arc, and 84% from the free-throw line.
Denver boasts a 35-20 record on the season, holding the third spot in the Western Conference standings. They are one game above the Houston Rockets and 1.5 games above the Los Angeles Lakers. However, they trail the San Antonio Spurs by 3.5 games and the Oklahoma City Thunder by 6.5 games.
With the All-Star break over, the Nuggets will resume action with a three-game road trip. They face the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 19 at 10:30 p.m. ET, the Portland Trail Blazers on Feb. 20 at 10 p.m. ET, and the Golden State Warriors on Feb. 22 at 3:30 p.m. ET.
