Nikola Jokic was asked to select an All-Star starting five roster consisting entirely of European players during All-Star weekend, and his choices were quite intriguing.

“Luka (Doncic), both Bogdanovic (Bojan and Bogdan), (Dario) Saric, and (Nikola) Vucevic,” stated Jokic.

You can see why Jokic passed on French superstars Rudy Gobert and Victor Wembanyama—the starting five has a decidedly Eastern European flavour. But it is a curious move to leave Giannis Antetokounmpo out.

As of right now, I rank Antetokounmpo as the NBA’s second-best European player, behind only Nikola Jokic. Giannis has been the unsung hero of the Milwaukee Bucks this season, averaging a career-high 30.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game.

Since Jokic was clearly embarrassed and could not keep track of everyone’s names, I will give him a pass. The 29-year-old is not the kind to criticise others, therefore he likely only selected teammates with whom he has a strong personal connection, such as his Serbian national teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic of the Atlanta Hawks.

In addition to Lauri Markkanen, Kristaps Porzingis, and Domantas Sabonis are three other significant absentees. 

Which Five European National Teams Would You Recommend?

Picking the best starting five players will be challenging because there are so many excellent Europeans playing in the NBA at the moment. Still, there are a handful of athletes who would choose themselves.

The starting lineup would include Jokic in the centre, Doncic at point guard, and Giannis at forward. Sabonis, who is averaging 20.1 points, 13.2 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.5 blocks a game, would be my choice for one of the two available spots.

I do not see how those stats did not get him an All-Star spot, but alas, it did. I still think Sabonis and Jokic will be very effective on the same team; Jokic averages 26.1 points, 12.0 rebounds, 8.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.9 blocks a game this season. However, I do think they will be a touch redundant.

Bogdan Bogdanovic is the probable last choice for the position of shooting guard. His outside shooting ability could be useful because neither Antetokounmpo nor Sabonis are particularly good shooters. Bojan Bogdanovic or Markkanen could round out your starting five if you so want.

When asked to choose the five best players in the NBA, Nikola Jokic graciously shared his thoughts. Leaving Himself Out

Most people think Jokic is the best player in the NBA right now, but if he had to pick five, who would they be? Michael Porter Jr. had already asked Nikola Jokic to choose his five favourite NBA players early in the season.

“You guys absolutely must start KD and LeBron there,” I am about to tell Joel and Luka. They may be getting on in years, but I still think they are capable of delivering a show. Tatum, [Anthony Edwards], Giannis, Steph Curry, and the others are just icing on the cake. Honestly, I do not think it is feasible to say. To be honest, I find it incredibly difficult to rank him in the top five or even the top ten. Maybe you have a preference for another player, but I really enjoy watching his games.

Ultimately, Jokic was unable to narrow it down. But Antetokounmpo’s presence there demonstrates how much regard the six-time All-Star has for him.