Two-Time NBA Champion Had "Matrix" Thoughts At First Sight Of Nikola Jokic

Jan 19, 2025; Orlando, Florida, USA; Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) drives to the basket against the Orlando Magic in the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

After winning back-to-back championships with the Miami Heat, Mike Miller bounced around the league for a couple seasons.

He eventually landed with the Denver Nuggets in 2015. It was then when he got his first glimpse of Nuggets rookie Nikola Jokic.

All it took for Miller was one practice to realize Jokic was special. He told the story during a recent episode of The OGs podcast with Udonis Haslem.

"So I got there and practice gets over," Miller said. "And the front office guys come over and they said, `What do you think of your team? I said, `I don't know that fat, ugly kid is right there and but he's your best player.' They're like, `What are you talking about? He's the 53rd pick.' He wasn't even playing and they had all these young players. I said, `No, it's like The Matrix when the ball hits his hands. The whole game just freezes.' I've never seen a young kid do that before."'

"I don't know who that fat, ugly kid is right there, but he's your best player." -Mike Miller on Jokic after his first practice with the Nuggets pic.twitter.com/5ZLg3SK9aN

— Grace (@ErinBurr27) January 21, 2025

Jokic has since developed into one of the best players in league history. He's won three MVPs, leading the Nuggets past the Heat in the 2023 NBA Finals.

"They don't really play him until halfway through the season," Miller said. "... I was like, `Y'all gonna have to let that dude grow."'

Not sure how Jokic will handle being called fat and ugly but he did live up to all of Miller's expectations.

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com

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