Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic hopes to spend his entire career in the Mile High City, just like Tim Duncan did with the San Antonio Spurs.
"I want to be the Tim Duncan of the Denver Nuggets, but I need to win a couple of championships to be him," Jokic told reporters Monday at Nuggets media day. "I like the city. I like the organization. I like the people. I really enjoy it here. ... I don't want to change anything."
San Antonio selected Duncan first overall in 1997. The Big Fundamental played the next 19 years for the Spurs, leading the club to five NBA titles during his Hall of Fame career. Duncan remains the franchise's all-time leader in numerous categories, including points scored, rebounds, blocks, and games played.
Meanwhile, Jokic has built his own impressive resume in Denver over the past seven campaigns. He's earned four All-Star selections, three All-NBA first-team nods, and the last two MVP awards, and he's already seventh on the league's all-time list for triple-doubles.
Jokic reaffirmed his commitment to the Nuggets this past summer by inking an NBA-record five-year, $270-million super-max extension. The Serbian big man is now under contract through at least the 2026-27 campaign and holds a $61.9-million player option for the following season.
