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Former NBA guard Lou Williams offered a measured take on the rising conversation around Nikola Jokic’s all-time greatness.

While acknowledging the Denver Nuggets star’s incredible production and consistency, Williams cautioned against rushing to place him among the pantheon of all-time NBA legends too soon.

“When Russell Westbrook was averaging a triple-double for two or three seasons… we didn’t make the argument that he’s a top-10 player of all time,” Williams said.

The point Williams made draws a comparison between Westbrook’s historic statistical run and Jokic’s current dominance.

Despite Westbrook doing something unprecedented – averaging a triple-double multiple seasons in a row – he wasn’t instantly catapulted into discussions about being a top-10 player ever.

Williams suggests the same caution should apply with Jokic, even though the Serbian big man has dazzled fans with his unique skill set, MVP accolades, and playoff success.

Essentially, Williams argues that while Jokic’s resume is impressive and growing, the conversation around ranking players among the greatest of all time requires more than a few incredible seasons – it demands sustained excellence, championships, and long-term impact on the game.