Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has secured his third NBA MVP award in four seasons, edging out stiff competition from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks.
Jokic’s stellar performance throughout the season earned him 926 points, including an impressive 79 first-place votes, cementing his status as one of the league’s most formidable talents.
Meanwhile, SGA garnered 640 points with 15 first-place votes, while Doncic trailed with 566 points and four first-place votes.
The announcement of Jokic’s MVP win elicited mixed reactions from basketball enthusiasts, with some expressing their support for the Serbian veteran’s exceptional contributions to the sport.
However, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal voiced his dissent, stating, “I don’t like to rain on people’s parade, but I’m not happy with this one. …I felt Shai deserved it,” during the NBA on TNT broadcast.
"I don't like to rain on people's parade, but I'm not happy with this one. …I felt Shai deserved it."@SHAQ reacts to Jokic winning MVP pic.twitter.com/JwtiPOsFyu
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) May 8, 2024
Jokic’s remarkable achievement places him among an elite group of players, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James, who have won three or more MVP awards in their careers.
His impressive statistical performance during the 2023-24 regular season, ranking in the top 10 for points, rebounds, and assists per game, further solidifies his standing as one of the league’s premier talents.
Jokic became only the second player in NBA history to record at least 2,000 points, 900 rebounds, and 700 assists in a single season, joining the esteemed company of Oscar Robertson.
Behind Jokic’s leadership, the Denver Nuggets enjoyed a successful regular season, matching the franchise’s highest number of victories and clinching the top seed in the Western Conference with a record of 57-25.
However, despite their regular-season dominance, the Nuggets currently trail the Minnesota Timberwolves 0-2 in the Western Conference playoffs, setting the stage for an intense battle as they seek to overcome the deficit in Game 3 on Friday night in Minnesota
