Lakers' D'Angelo Russell: Nikola Jokić Is NBA's Best Player and It's 'Not Even Close'

Los Angeles Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell said on The Pat Bev Podcast with Rone that he believes Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is the best player in basketball right now.

Russell was asked if he felt the defending champion Nuggets got enough general respect leaguewide after his title, and he provided this response (31:30 mark).

"Yea, they got the best player in basketball," Russell said. "They got the best player in basketball on that team. No disrespect to nobody, he's the best player in the NBA right now. Not even close."

Philadelphia 76ers guard and podcast host Patrick Beverley agreed, and Russell continued.

"I said this like two years ago...how do you guard him? How do you guard somebody that don't even want the ball? I ain't gonna say he don't want the ball...but he don't care..."

Russell saw Jokić and the Nuggets close up during the Western Conference Finals, when Denver swept the Lakers in four games. Jokić, a two-time NBA MVP, averaged 27.8 points, 14.5 rebounds and 11.8 assists per game.

It's hard to argue against Jokić being the best player in basketball right now given his recent success. He now has two NBA regular-season MVP awards, an NBA Finals MVP award and an NBA championship on his resume. The only active players who can claim the same baseline or better right now are LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetotokounmpo.

Jokić and the Nuggets return the majority of last year's core minus Bruce Brown, who should be a big loss off the bench. But Jokić is back alongside Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon, and it's certainly possible the big man maintains his title as the unofficial best player in basketball next year too.