DENVER, July 8, 2022 – The Denver Nuggets have signed two-time MVP center Nikola Jokić to a multiyear contract extension, KSE Vice Chairman Josh Kroenke and General Manager Calvin Booth announced today.
Jokić was named the 2021-22 KIA NBA MVP, becoming the 13th player in NBA history to earn back-to-back MVP’s and the first center to do so since Moses Malone in 1982-83. He was the first player in NBA history to average 25+ points, 13+ rebounds and 6+ assists for an entire season and he also became the first player in NBA history to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a single season. Joker became the first Nugget in franchise history to be named the league’s Most Valuable Player after his stellar 2020-21 campaign earned him that distinction.
Jokić was again named All-NBA First Team in 2021-22, becoming the first Nugget to earn All-NBA team honors in four straight seasons. His three career First Team selections surpasses David Thompson for the most in franchise history. He also earned his fourth consecutive All-Star nomination this past season, including two straight as an All-Star starter. He has been named Western Conference Player of the Month four times in his career, the most in franchise history.
Joker averaged career-highs across the board in 2021-22 with 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds and 7.9 assists in 33.5 minutes per game. He shot a career-high from the field (.583) while adding a career-high 1.47 steals and a career-high .85 blocks per game. He registered NBA season highs with 19 triple-doubles and 66 double-doubles, passing Fat Lever for most triple-doubles in a single season by a Nugget and surpassing his own 60 double-doubles in 2020-21 for most in a season by a Nugget. He led the NBA in PER (Player Efficiency Rating), finished 1st in total rebounds (2nd in rpg), 5th in total points (6th in ppg), 6th in total assists (8th in apg), 10th in total steals (12th in spg), 8th in field goal percentage and 4th in true shooting percentage.
The Sombor, Serbia native was originally drafted by Denver with the 41st pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. He became the lowest draft position to win the MVP (previous Nash & Antetokounmpo at 15th overall) and the first center to win MVP since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. Jokić has appeared in 527 career games (486 starts) for the Nuggets and owns career averages of 19.7 points, 10.4 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 1.20 steals per game. He has also appeared in 48 playoff games (all starts) for Denver, averaging 26.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.00 steals per game.