Will anyone still doubt how great Nikola Jokic is in the game of basketball after lifting the Denver Nuggets to the franchise's first-ever championship? Jokic dazzled with both the stat sheet and the eye test. Not only did he fill up the points, rebounds, and assists column to such a historic degree, he also silenced his haters who doubted his true impact on the court by being an above average defensive presence.

But as the old adage goes, you simply cannot please everyone. And Jokic's greatness throughout the 2023 NBA playoffs and Finals isn't yet enough to sway the opinion of Patrick Beverley regarding who the best big man in the league is.

Staying true to himself, Beverley remained as loyal as ever and revealed that he still holds Karl-Anthony Towns in the highest of regards. In fact, he holds him to such a high regard that he believes that his former Minnesota Timberwolves teammate is the best big man in the NBA, beating the likes of Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid.

“I have my personal intake of who I think the best 5-man is. Conversation was, ‘Pat, you played with KAT, you played against Embiid, you played against Joker. Who do you think the best big man is?' And I go, ‘Y'all not gonna like my answer… KAT,'” Beverley said on the Pat Bev Pod. “They [were like] what?”

Related Denver Nuggets NewsArticle continues below
Adidas AE 2, Anthony Edwards, Adidas
Anthony Edwards, Adidas unveil the Adidas AE 2
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) on the court during warmups prior to game five of the second round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs against the Golden State Warriors.
Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards sends bold message after eliminating Warriors in 5 games

This isn't just a conversation about who the best shooting big man is in NBA history, something which the Timberwolves franchise center certainly has a case for being. Patrick Beverley, no joke, thinks that Karl-Anthony Towns is a better center, and it may have something to do with his shooting superiority over the Nuggets' Finals MVP.

“When it comes to like offensively gifted players… it's KAT and it's James Harden and I think I got KAT one… I've been around this motherf***er,” Beverley added.

As entitled as everyone is to their opinions, it will be difficult to take Beverley's seriously, especially after Nikola Jokic's historic playoff run that culminated in a Nuggets championship.

Until Karl-Anthony Towns leads the Timberwolves to more than just a first-round exit, he certainly won't be in the discussion of who the best center is in the NBA among impartial analysts, something Beverley isn't given his friendship with Towns.