Nikola Jokic has been the best player in the NBA for the past five years. The Denver Nuggets superstar has claimed three MVPs, won a championship, and claimed a Finals MVP during that span. Jokic also signed a 5-year,

But at least the way one of his former Denver Nuggets teammates tells the story, Jokic's basketball career was almost over three years ago. On the Straight Game Podcast, DeMarcus Cousins shared the story that Jokic nearly retired in 2022 rather than sign his supermax extension with Denver. Jokic was 27 at the time.