Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets further solidified his status as one of the NBA’s all-time greats by clinching his third Most Valuable Player award on Wednesday.
Jokic secured the award for the third time in four seasons, taking over from last year’s MVP, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers. He outpaced Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from the Oklahoma City Thunder and Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, who came in second and third in the rankings, respectively.
Jokic emphasized the importance of his teammates, coaches, and the entire organization in his MVP acceptance speech, highlighting that his success is dependent on their support and teamwork.
Jokic easily clinched his third MVP win, securing 79 first-place votes and a total of 926 points. Gilgeous-Alexander followed with 15 first-place votes and 640 points, while Doncic trailed with four first-place votes and 566 points. Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks came in fourth, and Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks ranked fifth in the voting.
“There’s a lot of players that deserve it,” Jokic said of the MVP race. “It’s probably details and the small things [that determine it].”
Jokic joins an elite group of NBA players by becoming the first center in 60 years to win the MVP three times in four seasons. This achievement puts him alongside basketball legends like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, LeBron James, Wilt Chamberlain, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson, making him the ninth player in NBA history to accomplish this feat.
“In early April, Denver coach Michael Malone remarked that distinguishing greatness from greatness is challenging when it comes to Nikola Jokic’s continual improvement, emphasizing his consistent excellence over multiple seasons. Malone also highlighted Denver’s impressive record over the past six years, second only to Milwaukee in the NBA.”
During his ninth season, Jokic participated in 79 games, his highest count since playing 80 games in the 2018-19 season. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Jokic became one of the few players in NBA history, alongside Chamberlain, to rank in the top five in points (fifth), rebounds (third), and assists (second) in multiple seasons. Elgin Baylor accomplished this feat once.
Jokic is also the second player to record 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 600 assists in a season, joining Oscar Robertson.
Jokic posted stats of 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists, ranking him in the top 10 in each category. He notched 25 triple-doubles, just behind the Sacramento Kings’ Domantas Sabonis (26), with shooting percentages of 58.3% from the field and 35.9% from three-point range.
With Jokic leading the way, Denver concluded the season ranking fifth in offensive efficiency, eighth in defensive efficiency, and fourth in net rating. Alongside the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and Oklahoma City Thunder, the Nuggets were among the elite four teams to place in the top 10 in all three categories.
While Denver boasted the best starting five in the league, Jokic’s value was undeniable to Denver. The Nuggets posted a plus-11.8 net efficiency when Jokic was on the court but a minus-8.6 when he was off the court. Jokic led the NBA with a plus-682 plus-minus. The Nuggets were minus-251 with their franchise player off the court.
Of course, the humble Jokic often says he doesn’t care about individual honors as much as he covets the championship. Jokic is trying to lead the Nuggets to a repeat as world champs.
Should he do so, the Nuggets big man will have put together a four-year run that only four other all-time greats have done. Russell, Bird, Johnson and James are the only players to win three regular-season MVPs and two NBA titles in a four-year span.
“Nikola has grown, enhancing his capacity to uplift those around him,” Malone stated. “As we strive for another championship, we plan to integrate young talents in lieu of Bruce Brown and Jeff Green. It’s noteworthy that our current record surpasses last year’s.”
“And despite Jamal Murray’s absence for [23] games, Nikola recognizes the importance of his role as a leader, ensuring he supports not only the younger role players but also all his teammates in understanding their roles, excelling on both offense and defense, and ultimately elevating their game.”