Nikola Jokic reacts to passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar on the all-time list

During Denver Nuggets‘ 126-115 win over the Orlando Magic, Nikola Jokić achieved another milestone in his already illustrious career, overcoming Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time assist leader among centers in NBA history. The three-time MVP now has 5,667 career assists, surpassing Abdul-Jabbar’s 5,660.

When asked if he experienced any joy over the significant achievement, Jokic remained characteristically modest.

“At the moment not much because you don’t have time to think about it,” Jokic said. “You have two hours to think about it, and then forget about it.”

The Nuggets are not taking Nikola Jokic’s greatness for granted

While Jokić continues to rewrite the record books on a nightly basis, this particular achievement carries extra weight given who he has overtaken. Abdul-Jabbar is a six-time MVP, Hall of Famer and player considered one of the best of all time.

Head coach of the Nuggets David Adelman emphasized the importance these significant career milestones for Jokic, while emphasizing not to diminish Abdul-Jabbar’s legacy.

“It’s a celebration of both of them. It’s somebody who completely changed the game with Ski Hook, the longevity he played. I feel like we, in the modern era, are talking about Tom Brady and all these people. Look at Kareem,” Adelman said. “The guy changed his name while he was playing. A guy who played for 20-plus years, and until the very end, he made an impact on teams that went to the finals. So for Nikola to pass him, I think, says a lot.”

Adelman also urged fans to appreciate the greatness they are witnessing with Jokic. He emphasized that the passing of someone of Abdul-Jabbar’s caliber deserves appropriate recognition.

“I’m just going to say, just don’t get tired of this, because it’s unique,” Adelman said. “And for those of us who love the history of the game, that (record) should be written about and talked about, and it should be a national story, because it’s the passing of a guy that you could argue with — you just want to go through the generations, not who’s the best player of all time, and all the talk — it’s Kareem, he’s in the conversation (as one of the best).”

At just 30 years old and already ranked in the top 50 in assists of all time, Jokic continues to cement his legacy as the most skilled passer the game has ever seen.