Nikola Jokic: One NBA MVP Voter Left Nuggets Star Completely off Ballot
The NBA Most Valuable Player award is always a highly debated discussion throughout the season, especially after the league’s midseason All-Star break.
Much like the debates of the finalists competing for the award, the voting results for the annual award often create dialogue among those in the NBA community and social media.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid won the 2022-23 NBA MVP award, beating out Nuggets center Nikola Jokić and Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. But moments after the six-time All-Star received his first MVP award, having finished as runner-up in back-to-back seasons, the results for the award were released with a breakdown of how many first-place, second-place, third-place, fourth-place and fifth-place votes each player received.
A player near the top of the list should have a vote total that equals 100. However, that was not the case for Jokić, who won MVP honors each of the past two seasons. The Nuggets star finished with 15 first-place votes, 52 second-place votes and 32 third-place votes, totaling to 99 out of 100. Meaning, one NBA MVP voter did not vote for Jokic at all.
Maybe that voter favored another player on the list over Jokić; Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo were obviously viable choices to top the ballot. Even the Grizzlies’ Ja Morant and the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson each received one fifth-place vote.
But to not dignify Jokić with a mere fourth- or fifth-place vote? That is an unabashed snub.
As for Jokić, he is focused on competing for a NBA title.
Source: Sports Illustrated
