Basketball fans lit up social media after a viral post compared the NBA stats of Nikola Jokić and LeBron James at age 30—igniting passionate debates over who was more dominant in their prime.
The now-trending graphic, originally shared by @NugsGetBuckets on X (formerly Twitter), showed Jokić outpacing James statistically in nearly every major category during their respective age-30 seasons. The Denver Nuggets star played 70 games this season and averaged:
29.6 points (vs. LeBron’s 27.1)
12.7 rebounds (vs. 6.9)
10.2 assists (vs. 6.3)
1.8 steals (vs. 1.6)
0.6 blocks (vs. 0.3)
Jokić also had a higher field goal percentage (.576 vs. .567), three-point percentage (.417 vs. .379), and free-throw shooting (.800 vs. .750) compared to LeBron’s stats when he played 77 games at the same age.
The post sparked a flood of replies and quote tweets, with fans weighing in from all corners of NBA Twitter.
“Jokić might be the most complete offensive player we’ve seen in years,” wrote @FractalBitcoin.
“Respect to the Joker, but you can’t just ignore LeBron’s two-way dominance and playoff runs,” said @silen7skillz.
“Context matters. LeBron carried aging rosters to Finals in the East. Jokić is cooking with elite spacing and chemistry,” tweeted @planetbrady.
Others pointed out that while Jokić’s stats are historically great, LeBron’s longevity and versatility remain unmatched.
To date, Jokić is a 3-time NBA MVP (2021, 2022, 2024), a 2023 NBA champion, a Finals MVP, a 7-time All-Star, and a 5-time All-NBA First Team selection. He’s also credited with the fastest triple-double in NBA history.
Meanwhile, LeBron’s résumé at age 39 includes 4 NBA championships, 4 Finals MVPs, 4 MVPs, 20 All-Star selections, and the distinction of being the NBA’s all-time leading scorer with over 50,000 combined points in the regular season and playoffs.
Original comparison post: @NugsGetBuckets
30 year old Jokic vs 30 year old LeBron pic.twitter.com/emjAWeSwsb
— The Lakers Daddy (@NugsGetBuckets) July 4, 2025
Fan reactions:
@FractalBitcoin
So LeBron's NOT the goat now??
— Fractal Bitcoin (@FractalBitcoin) July 4, 2025
@silen7skillz
I thought Lebron had the best stats according lediddy fans.
— silen7skillz (@silen7skillz) July 5, 2025
@MykellthePG
Bron fans, does this make Jokic the better player? Why or why not?
— Mykell Mathieu (@MykellthePG) July 5, 2025
@AndrewLipo
Have you heard about defense ?
— Andrew
Lipo (@AndrewLipo) July 4, 2025
@planetbrady
Lebron sucks. Even a center can outplay him.
— Brady Middleton (@planetbrady) July 5, 2025
While the comparisons continue, fans seem to agree on one thing—Jokić and LeBron are generational talents, each redefining greatness in their own era.
The post Jokić vs LeBron at 30 sparks heated debate among fans online first appeared on Fastbreak.
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