The responsibility that NBA superstars today carry can be overbearing. Many have the luxury of an elite supporting cast, but others may have a more of a load to carry in getting their team to the promised land.
Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic has done so much for the franchise in nearly 10 years. The Serbian center has multiple MVPs, a championship, and an NBA Finals MVP with the Nuggets. Now, he’s searching for that second ring as the Nuggets find themselves down 3-2 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.
A major talking point with Jokic has been his supporting cast over the years. The 30-year-old has had Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon, and Michael Porter Jr. as his running mates for years, but is it enough to help Denver get over the hump once again?
NBA legend and NBA on TNT analyst Charles Barkley weighed in on Jokic and his supporting cast. The Hall-of-Famer talked about his responsibilities as the Nuggets’ best player and why it’s unfair compared to the rest of the league.
“This guy has more responsibility than any player in the NBA.” 🗣️
Chuck goes in on the load that Nikola Jokić shoulders for Denver pic.twitter.com/KCAvzXnA8S
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 13, 2025
“This guy has more responsibility than any player in the NBA, and it’s kind of unfair, but that’s just the way it is,” Barkley said. “No other player has to lead their team in scoring, rebounds, and assists, and there’s a lot of great players in this league, but no player has the responsibility that the Joker has.”
In Game 5 against the Thunder, the Nuggets played just eight guys, while Oklahoma City went 10 deep. Jokic put up a historic 44 points, 15 rebounds, and five assists despite the loss.
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