In a recent interview with Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson, legendary NBA coach George Karl was questioned about his opinion on the second best player in basketball, assuming Nikola Jokic holds the top spot.

“I still have LeBron as my number one,” Karl asserted. “So I suppose LeBron would rank as number two in my estimation [behind Jokic], but it’s primarily a matter of experience versus youth, with the older players understanding the challenges of winning and the immense effort it requires. This is something the younger players will come to grasp in the coming weeks.”

As Karl pointed out, there appears to be an ongoing rivalry between the older and younger generations in the NBA. In the Western Conference, rising stars like Anthony Edwards and Luka Doncic are leading their teams past established veterans such as Kevin Durant, James Harden, and Paul George. Meanwhile, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and his youthful Oklahoma City Thunder squad are striving to continue their upward trajectory.

Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets find themselves somewhere in the middle of this generational divide. While Jokic is younger than veterans like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Steph Curry, he is older than emerging talents like Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

For Karl, he recognizes the momentum of the younger generation during this thrilling playoff run but still regards LeBron James as the league’s top player, despite being the oldest player in the NBA.