When Nico Harrison Put Jrue Holiday in the Same Tier as Nikola Jokic—Was He Right?

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Illustration: A side-by-side comparison of Jrue Holiday and Nikola Jokic under a "Tier 1" label, symbolizing Nico Harrison’s controversial 2021 ranking.

The Ranking That Had NBA Twitter in a Frenzy

Picture this: It’s 2021, the NBA offseason is buzzing with trade rumors, and Nico Harrison—then a freshly minted executive with the Dallas Mavericks—drops a take so bold it feels like he just declared pineapple belongs on pizza at a Chicago deep-dish convention. In an interview with The Ringer, Harrison casually placed Jrue Holiday, a perennial All-Star guard, in the same tier as Nikola Jokic, the back-to-back MVP and one of the most dominant big men in league history.

The internet, as it does, lost it. Analysts scrambled to pull up stats. Fans dug up old tweets to roast or praise Harrison’s basketball IQ. Even casual observers paused their scroll to ask: Was this a genius hot take… or had the Texas heat gotten to him?

Three years later, with Holiday now a champion and Jokic still rewriting the record books, the question lingers: Did Harrison see something we all missed? Let’s break it down—because this isn’t just about tiers. It’s about how we value players, the flaws in basketball analysis, and why sometimes, the "craziest" takes age like fine wine.

Why This Ranking Was a Big Deal (And Why It Still Matters)

The Context: Nico Harrison’s NBA Resume

First, let’s talk about the man behind the mic drop. Nico Harrison wasn’t some random Twitter pundit. By 2021, he’d spent nearly two decades at Nike, where he played a key role in signing LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Kobe Bryant. He’d just been hired as the Mavericks’ president of basketball operations, tasked with helping Luka Dončić chase a title. When Harrison spoke, people listened—even if they didn’t always agree.

So when he said this about Jrue Holiday:

"I put Jrue in that tier with Jokic, with those top guys. Because what he does on both ends of the floor—his impact is elite."

… it wasn’t just hot air. It was a deliberate statement from someone who’d spent years evaluating talent at the highest level.

The Backlash: "Jrue Holiday = Jokic? Have You Lost It?"

The pushback was immediate. At the time:

• Nikola Jokic was fresh off his first MVP (2020-21), averaging 26.4 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 8.3 APG. He’d just dragged a shorthanded Nuggets team to the playoffs.
• Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, was a fantastic two-way guard—17.7 PPG, 6.1 APG, elite defense—but not exactly an MVP candidate. He’d never even made an All-NBA team.

Critics argued Harrison was confusing "impact" with "production". Jokic was a walking triple-double; Holiday was the ultimate glue guy. Comparing them felt like equating a Swiss Army knife to a flamethrower—both useful, but in very different ways.

Yet Harrison doubled down. His logic? Basketball isn’t just about stats—it’s about how a player changes the game. And on that front, Holiday’s resume was quietly stacked:

• First-team All-Defense (2018, 2021)
• Clutch performer in the 2021 playoffs (17.3 PPG, 41% from three)
• The missing piece for a Bucks team that won the chip that year

The Case for Harrison’s Take: Why Jrue Belonged in the Conversation

1. The Two-Way Guard Revolution

Harrison’s ranking wasn’t about raw numbers—it was about role and era. The NBA in 2021 was shifting toward positionless basketball, where guards who could defend elite wings (like Holiday locking down Kawhi Leonard or Devin Booker) were gold.

Jokic redefined the center position; Holiday redefined what a "3-and-D" guard could be. While Jokic was the engine, Holiday was the oil that kept the machine running—something analytics often undervalue.

2. The "Eye Test" vs. Advanced Metrics

Here’s where it gets interesting. By traditional stats, Jokic blows Holiday out of the water. But dig deeper:

• Win Shares (2020-21): Jokic (15.7) vs. Holiday (10.1). Not close, right? But Holiday’s defensive win shares (4.3) were elite.
• On/Off Court Impact: The Bucks’ net rating with Holiday on the floor (+10.5) was better than the Nuggets’ with Jokic (+8.1).
• Playoff Performance: Holiday’s 2021 playoffs (21.2 PPG in the Finals) were historic for a "secondary star."

Harrison’s point? Impact ≠ stats. Holiday’s ability to elevate a team’s ceiling—especially in the playoffs—put him in rare company.

3. The Championship Argument

Fast-forward to today: Jokic has two MVPs and a ring (2023). Holiday has two rings (2021 Bucks, 2024 Celtics) and a reputation as the ultimate playoff closer. In 2024, he averaged 20.4 PPG on 50/43/83 splits in the Finals—as a third option.

Harrison’s ranking wasn’t about who was better in a vacuum. It was about who could change a franchise’s trajectory. And on that front? Holiday’s done it twice.

Jrue Holiday: The only player from the 2021 Bucks and 2024 Celtics championship teams. (Getty Images)

Where the Comparison Falls Short (And Why It’s Still Fair)

The Obvious: Jokic Is a Generational Talent

Let’s not pretend this is a 1:1 comparison. Jokic is a top-10 player of all time in the eyes of many analysts. His combination of passing, scoring, and rebounding is unmatched for a big man. He’s the best passing center ever—full stop.

Holiday? He’s not reinventing the guard position. But Harrison’s tier wasn’t about peak skill—it was about value to a contender. And in that lens, Holiday’s playoff résumé (145 games, 18.5 PPG, 40% from three) stacks up with almost any guard not named Curry or Steph.

The Positional Bias Problem

Here’s the dirty secret of NBA rankings: We overvalue big men and undervalue guards. Centers who put up monster stats (like Jokic) get MVP love, while guards who make everyone else better (like Holiday) often fly under the radar.

Harrison’s take forced a conversation: What if we judged players by how much they improved their team, not just their box-score lines? By that metric, Holiday’s two-way dominance and clutch gene make the comparison less crazy.

How to Evaluate NBA Players Like a Front-Office Exec (A Beginner’s Guide)

Harrison’s ranking teaches us a bigger lesson: Great evaluators look beyond the obvious. Here’s how you can do the same:

1. Watch the Games (Not Just the Highlights)

Jokic’s no-look passes go viral. Holiday’s defensive rotations or off-ball screens? Not as sexy—but they win games. Pro tip: Pick one player per game and only watch them. You’ll notice things stats miss.

2. Advanced Stats > Box Score

Instead of just PPG or APG, dig into:

• Net Rating (How much better is the team with them on the floor?)
• Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus (DEPM) (Holiday’s was +3.1 in 2021—elite.)
• Clutch Stats (Holiday’s 2021 playoffs: 45% from three in "clutch" minutes.)

3. The "Replace Them" Test

Ask: If this player got injured, how much worse would the team be? In 2021, the Bucks with Holiday outscored opponents by 10.5 points per 100 possessions. Without him? That number plummeted. That’s tier-1 impact.

4. Playoff Performance > Regular Season

Jokic’s regular-season MVPs are legendary. But Holiday’s playoff résumé (two rings, multiple game-winning shots) proves Harrison’s point: Some players are built for June.

What This Means for the Future of NBA Evaluations

The Harrison-Holiday-Jokic debate isn’t just about one ranking. It’s a microcosm of how NBA analysis is evolving:

1. The Rise of the "Connector" Star

Players like Holiday, Draymond Green, and Marcus Smart don’t stuff stat sheets, but they make championships happen. Front offices are paying more for these "connector" pieces than ever.

2. Defense Is Finally Getting Its Due

For years, defense was an afterthought in MVP races. Now? Guys like Bam Adebayo and Evan Mobley are getting All-NBA love because of their D. Holiday was ahead of this curve.

3. The "Tier" System Is Flawed (And That’s Okay)

Harrison’s ranking exposed a truth: Tiers are subjective. Jokic is clearly "better" in a vacuum, but if you’re building a team to win now, Holiday’s skill set might be more valuable to your specific roster. Context matters.

💡 Expert Insight: "The best GMs don’t draft the best player—they draft the player who fits their system. Harrison saw Holiday as a system-changer. That’s why the Bucks won in 2021." —David Thorpe, NBA Analyst

So… Was Nico Harrison Right?

Yes—and no. Here’s the verdict:

✅ Where He Nailed It

• Holiday’s two-way impact is elite. Few guards change games on both ends like he does.
• His playoff résumé (two rings, countless clutch moments) validates the "tier-1" label in high-leverage situations.
• Harrison’s ranking challenged conventional wisdom, forcing a better conversation about how we value role players.

❌ Where He Missed

• Jokic is a generational offensive hub. Holiday isn’t that kind of engine.
• The comparison oversimplified positional value. Centers and guards contribute differently.
• At the time, Holiday hadn’t yet proven he could be "the guy" on a contender (though 2024 changed that).

Ultimately, Harrison’s take wasn’t about declaring Holiday equal to Jokic. It was about recognizing that greatness comes in different forms. And in a league where fit and role matter more than ever, that’s a lesson worth remembering.

What’s Next? The Legacy of This Debate

Three years later, this ranking feels less controversial. Why?

• Holiday’s 2024 championship (as a co-star with Tatum and Brown) proved he can thrive in any system.
• Jokic’s continued dominance has only solidified his GOAT-tier status—making the original comparison look bolder in hindsight.
• The NBA now prioritizes versatility over traditional positions. Players like Holiday (and Jokic!) are the new prototype.

So what’s the takeaway? Next time you hear a "crazy" NBA take, ask yourself: Is this person seeing something I’m missing? Because sometimes, the wildest hot takes are just ahead of their time.

🔥 Your Turn: Who’s Your Most Underrated NBA Star?

Think Nico Harrison was onto something? Or is Jrue Holiday still a tier below the Jokics of the world? Drop your thoughts in the comments—and if you loved this breakdown, check out more of our NBA deep dives:

• Related: "Why the 2021 Bucks Were the Ultimate ‘No Superteam’ Champions"
• Related: "The Most Overrated and Underrated NBA Contracts of 2024"

And if you’re hungry for more basketball debates, subscribe for weekly NBA insights—where we separate the hot takes from the cold truths.

Kebun Firdaus

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