How Nikola Jokic's Knee Injury Could Impact His Legacy

The Denver Nuggets received some bad news on Tuesday morning when three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic was diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee. Jokic is set to be reevaluated in four weeks, likely sidelining him for all of January, and potentially longer.

Jokic suffered the injury in Monday's loss to the Miami Heat, and after playing each of Denver's first 32 games of the season, it will be interesting to see how they approach things without him.

Not only will Jokic's injury deeply impact the team, as they will have to play at least the next 16 games without him, but it could also define his legacy among the league's greatest.

Jokic was on the verge of history

Jokic, 30, has already cemented himself as one of the greatest centers in league history, and arguably a top-20 player of all time, but he had the opportunity to rise above the rest this season.

Jokic joined Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird as the only NBA players in history to finish top two in MVP voting for five consecutive seasons, and nothing was standing in his way from becoming the first player to ever do it six straight years. Except, of course, an injury.

With the NBA's new 65-game requirement for awards, Jokic will likely be left out of the MVP race and All-NBA consideration, unless he miraculously recovers from the injury faster than anyone expects.

Just in: Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic has been diagnosed with a hyperextension in his left knee and will miss at least four weeks. An immense sigh of relief as tests show the three-time NBA MVP's knee ligaments are intact. pic.twitter.com/u8qLE0GDd3
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 30, 2025

When looking at the NBA greats, it is hard to cement your name among the best to ever play with only one championship to your name. However, Jokic has been the exception. If Jokic were to win his fourth MVP award at 31 years old, it would be hard to keep him out of the same conversation as Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, even with just one ring.

Jokic had the opportunity to become the sixth NBA player in history with at least four MVP awards, joining Chamberlain, Russell, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Of course, Jokic still has more seasons to try to enter that company, but the Serbian superstar was the heavy frontrunner to win his fourth this year.

Jokic is still well below the legends like Jordan and James, but doing something that no other player in league history has ever done — finishing top two in MVP voting for six consecutive seasons — would give him something to significantly bolster his legacy.

Jokic was on the verge of history

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