The Denver Nuggets’ star center Nikola Jokic was named the NBA Most Valuable Player for the 2023-24 season. This is the third time that Jokic has won MVP honors in the past four seasons.
Jokic became the ninth player in NBA history to receive MVP honors at least three times. He joins the list of basketball greats that includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), Bill Russell (4), LeBron James (4), Wilt Chamberlain (4), Moses Malone (3), Larry Bird (3) and Magic Johnson (3).
Jokic averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists while leading the Nuggets to a 57-25 record and the second seed in the Western Conference. The 29-year-old Serbian received 79 first-place votes from 99 members of the voting panel and finished at the top with 926 points.
“It’s got to start with the teammates; without them, I cannot do nothing,” Jokic said after being officially unveiled as the winner of the MVP award. “Coaches, players, organization, medical staff, strength coaches, development coaches. It is all one big circle. But I cannot be whatever I am without them.”
Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was second in MVP voting with 640 points and 15 first-place votes while Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic had four first-place votes and 566 points to finish third. Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo received the remaining first-place vote.
Jokic will now turn his focus on trying to win back-to-back championships with the Nuggets after leading Denver to the franchise’s first NBA title last season. If he manages to do so, he will become just the fifth player to be named MVP three times and have two NBA championships over the course of four seasons.
