DENVER – The Joker has been chosen as a Western Conference reserve for the 2019 NBA All-Star game happening Sunday, Feb. 17 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, N.C.
The Denver Nuggets announced the selection late Thursday, saying the 23-year-old center "has led Denver to their best record in franchise history through 50 games," while averaging 20.1 points, 10.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 1.43 steals in 31.4 minutes per game.
We're so proud of you, Nikola! #NBAAllStar #MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/jAgyiWIP0o
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 1, 2019
Should Nikola Jokić maintain his averages, he would join three others - Wilt CHamberlain, Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook - as the only players in NBA history to average more than 20 points, more than ten rebounds and more than seven assists for an entire season. "He would be the first to ever do so while averaging less than 34 minutes per game," a spokesperson for the Nuggets said.
Jokić, who was selected with the 41st overall draft pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, recorded his fourth career game with more than 15 assists, finishing with 19 points, 14 rebounds and 15 helpers – a feat that no other starting center in the NBA over the last 20 season has ever recorded, the Nuggets said.
Thursday’s selections marks the first for the Serbian native, and he becomes the 14th Nugget player ever selected as well as the first Nuggets player to make the game since Carmelo Anthony was named a starter in the 2010-2011 NBA season.
Here's a message from the Joker himself:
A message from our newest All-Star to all of #NuggetsNation! pic.twitter.com/GVpU9DzeiX
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) February 1, 2019