"I Had A Hard Time Getting Him To Sit": Former Nuggets Head Coach Opens Up On Coaching Nikola Jokic
Feb 6, 2026
For 10 years, Michael Malone had the privilege of coaching Nikola Jokic in the Mile High. Though Malone was unceremoniously fired by the Denver Nuggets prior to the 2025 playoffs, he still has fond memories of his former star player.
On Wednesday’s edition of “NBA Today,” Malone (now a studio analyst for ESPN) shared his recollections of the Joker’s passion for hoops. “When I coached him, I had a hard time getting him to sit,” the former Nuggets mentor shared. “He loves to play.”
Malone took this trip down memory lane as he and his fellow panelists discussed Jokic’s eligibility to win the NBA MVP award this season. Up to that point, Jokic had missed 16 games due to injury, meaning that he could only afford to miss one more game to still be in the running for major individual awards.
That eligibility rule, however, doesn’t sit well with Malone. “That 65-game rule, the impetus behind it was not for guys like Nikola Jokic. I worry that this rule is going to prohibit great players from getting accolades at the end of the year.”
To Malone’s point, the NBA’s rationale behind the 65-game minimum was to incentivize players to compete in as many games as physically possible, instead of taking the dubious route of load management that deprives fans of the opportunity to see their favorite stars.
At the same time, though, there is an argument to be made that availability should be a prerequisite for the most prestigious awards handed out by the league, foremost of which is the Michael Jordan Trophy.
No matter how fans and pundits feel about the 65-game rule, all of them can agree that Jokic has posted outlandish numbers when healthy this season. The three-time MVP who is fond of putting up triple-doubles is averaging just that: 29.1 points, 12.1 rebounds, and 10.5 assists per game.
It seems, then, that the only thing that can hold Jokic down is the doctor’s orders. If it were Malone or current Nuggets head coach David Adelman, the big Serbian probably wouldn’t pay heed when instructed to sit.
