Nikola Jokic Snubs LeBron James as He Names All-Time NBA List

ESPN reported in March that Nikola Jokic was the biggest reason Denver was an intriguing landing spot for LeBron James this offseason. Four months later, James signed with Philadelphia on July 24, and the Nuggets stayed home with Jokic.

Now Jokic has named his NBA Mount Rushmore, and James is nowhere on it. The four-time champion does not even get a spot among the faces carved into the mountain. Jokic's list, shared via SportBible, features Bill Russell, Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Stephen Curry.

The choices are bold in a few ways. Russell and Chamberlain give the Serbian star two of the greatest big men ever, and Curry is the only active player to make the cut. That leaves James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer and a fixture on most Rushmore ballots, outside the frame.

The omission matters because James is the player most often placed in the conversation right behind Jordan. The NBA's all-time scoring leader has four titles and four MVP awards, and he is entering a record 24th season at 41.

A Rushmore without him will be debated by fans, whether or not Jokic meant it as a statement. Jokic also left off Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the same list, so James was far from the only legend to miss out.

Jokic has never been one to chase list debates. During his MVP run, he made it clear he did not care about being added to exclusive clubs, such as the three-straight-MVP group that only Russell, Chamberlain and Bird had entered.

That helps explain why the choices read more like a personal pick than a calculated slight. Still, the timing and the history between the two stars are hard to ignore.

LeBron Has Praised Jokic Repeatedly, Including Calling Him One of the Best Ever

The snub stands out because James has been generous toward Jokic. Ahead of their 2024 playoff series, James said Jokic was "one of the best players to ever play this game." The Lakers star also noted that the way the rest of the Nuggets play around Jokic is the clearest sign of his talent.

It goes back further. After Denver swept the Lakers in the 2023 Western Conference finals, James said Jokic plays "Larry Bird style" and that you simply have to tip your cap.

More recently, James walked up to Jokic during a timeout while the Nuggets center sat out injured and told him he was one of the greatest players ever, according to DNVR Nuggets.

The respect has also fueled years of trade and free agency talk. Jokic's longtime agent, Misko Raznatovic, posted photos with James and business partner Maverick Carter in 2025 and hinted at big plans for 2026. Nick Wright shot down any suggestion that it meant James was heading to Denver, and James ended up in Philadelphia instead.

That history makes Jokic's list more intriguing than a simple ranking. The two have praised each other for years, and they have never played as teammates despite the rumors.

Fans will keep debating whether the choices were meant as a statement or just a matter of taste.

James now looks to carry the Sixers in his first season in Philadelphia, which opens Oct. 20 against the Knicks. Jokic and the Nuggets will try to prove their ceiling is higher than their offseason reviews suggested.

Whether the Rushmore pick adds any extra edge to their next meeting is something to watch.