NBA Reveals Season’s Most Valuable Player
The NBA is about to announce the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the season. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday night, where the winner of this prestigious award will be revealed.
The finalists for this season’s MVP award are three outstanding players:
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander from Oklahoma City.
- Nikola Jokic from Denver.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee.
This year, a player born outside the United States is expected to win the award for the seventh consecutive time.
Antetokounmpo, of Greek and Nigerian descent, won the award in 2019 and 2020. Jokic, from Serbia, obtained it in 2021, 2022, and 2024. Joel Embiid of Philadelphia, born in Cameroon but a U.S. citizen, was the MVP in 2023.
According to sports betting, the favorite to win the award is Gilgeous-Alexander. The Canadian guard led the league in scoring this season and led the Thunder to obtain the best NBA record, with 68 wins and 14 losses.
Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, and 5 rebounds per game, and is on track to win the award for the first time. In the 2023 MVP voting, he finished fifth and second last season.
Jokic had a historic season, becoming the first center to average a triple-double: 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game. In addition, he was the first player since these statistics have been recorded to finish in the top three in the NBA in all three categories.
Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game.
The MVP award, like other NBA honors, was voted on by a global panel of 100 writers and broadcasters who cover the league. Voting took place shortly before the start of the playoffs.
Other awards that have already been announced include: Kenny Atkinson of Cleveland as Coach of the Year, Dyson Daniels of Atlanta as Most Improved Player, Stephon Castle of San Antonio as Rookie of the Year, Evan Mobley of Cleveland as Defensive Player of the Year, Jalen Brunson of New York as Clutch Player of the Year, and Payton Pritchard of Boston as Sixth Man of the Year.
In addition, the league has announced other awards since the end of the regular season: Stephen Curry of Golden State won the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, Draymond Green, also of the Warriors, won the Hustle Award, Sam Presti of Oklahoma City was named Executive of the Year, and Jrue Holiday of Boston won the Sportsmanship Award for the second time in his career, as well as the league’s Social Justice Award.
