After Friday’s victory for the Nuggets over the Mavericks, Mavericks star Luka Doncic had some complimentary things to say about Nuggets all-world center Nikola Jokic.

Luka Doncic, star player for the Dallas Mavericks and one of the very best players in the world, believes that Nikola Jokic, center for the Denver Nuggets, is an even higher level of talent. Doncic gave his thoughts on the two-time MVP following the Nuggets’ victory over the Mavericks (125-114), which occurred on Friday night.

According to Doncic, “He’s not just a fantastic basketball player, but he’s also a wonderful person…At this point in time, he is most likely the best basketball player in the world.”

Jokic is posting a ridiculous stat line for the season, which includes 26.8 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 9.4 assists per game. He has led the Nuggets to a 5-1 record, and they are playing like the high-powered squad that won the NBA championship the previous year.

However, both Doncic and the Mavericks appear to have made significant strides thus far in this season. Luka has been utterly unstoppable, and this was the team’s first defeat of the season, which came at the hands of the Nuggets. The 33.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 9.4 assists that he puts up on a per game basis are his season averages. In his first five games, he has already recorded two triple-doubles and scored 49 points once. In another game, he led his team in scoring.

This year’s competition in the Western Conference of the NBA is fierce, with a number of clubs having a legitimate shot of finishing in the top four of the conference standings at the end of the regular season. Despite the fact that Denver appears to be a lock, barring an injury, it appears that this is the year that Doncic and the Mavericks will go to the next level. Doncic is as dominant as he’s ever been, Kyrie Irving is healthy again after missing time with an injury, and Grant Williams has fit in beautifully as a two-way forward in a roster that needed one.

We can only hope that the Doncic vs. Jokic rivalry will continue for many years to come, particularly in the postseason where both players will shine the brightest.