Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have both put up tremendous cases as the NBA's player this season. They've been so dominant that other incredible seasons, such as the ones put up by Giannis Antetokounmpo or Jayson Tatum, aren't warranting serious consideration in the MVP debate.
Here's how good both of these players' seasons have been. Jokic won the MVP award last year. He's having a better season in almost every major statistical category, and he is still an underdog to win in the betting markets.
Jokic's 3-point shooting is up by almost six percentage points (or nine, if you remove his heaves). His rebounding, assists, and steals are up, and he's averaging over three more points per game. He is going to be the first player in NBA history to ever finish top three in points, rebounds, and assists per game.
Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Gilgeous-Alexander is still the favorite because of how brilliant he has been. He's the NBA's scoring champion, averaging a career-high 33 points per game. He also shows up in the top 20 leaderboards in assists and steals.
You can't go wrong with either player. Gilgeous-Alexander is a two-way force and is leading the best team in the NBA. Ultimately though, Jokic is winning our award by the slimmest of margins.
Why Nikola Jokic is Sporting News' Player of the Year
Nikola Jokic is putting together the best offensive season since Wilt Chamberlain
The statistical milestones that Jokic has accomplished this season are dizzying. He's only the third player to ever average a 30-point triple-double in a season, joining Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson. He's the first player to ever record a 30-20-20 triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 21 rebounds, and 22 assists in an overtime win against the Suns. Nobody has ever been able to contribute in so many different areas.
The one potential weakness in Jokic's game before this season was that he was a good-not-great 3-point shooter. He has changed that by hitting 42 percent of his 3's this year. That number should be even higher, except that he does not care at all about individual statistics. While other players refuse to throw low percentage heaves at the end of quarters, Jokic does it every single time. He leads the NBA with 21 heaves. If those were removed, he would be in contention for the best percentage in the league.
Along with being one of the most accurate shooters in the league, Jokic has the best floater. He shoots 57 percent on those shots, which are a dead zone for other players. And in the rare occasions where he does miss, his offensive rebounding is so prodigious that he can tip the ball back in.
If Jokic were just a scorer, then there might be an argument that Gilgeous-Alexander was a more impactful player. When you account for Jokic's passing, it's no contest. Words can't begin to describe plays like this.
I didn’t get to see a vintage Jokic performance in person (thankfully for the Knicks), but I did get to see THIS PASS. It was shocking.
— Rit Holtzman (@BenRitholtzNBA) January 30, 2025
Guys. He NEVER looks at Braun. It’s a never-look pass 🤯 pic.twitter.com/ZtHCoXYu4E
This Jokic angle is WILD pic.twitter.com/ALSHxrBcxw
— Zach Bye (@byesline) March 27, 2025
Jokic throws these types of passes so often that we've become accustomed to them. A ho-hum dime from him would be the career-best for 99 percent of the rest of the players in the league.
SN AWARDS: Defensive Player of the Year | Rookie of the Year
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has the edge defensively
While Jokic is clearly the better offensive player, Gilgeous-Alexander has an edge defensively. The Thunder are an all-time defense, and he's a disruptive force in that scheme. His 1.7 steals per game rank fourth in the league.
Jokic is no slouch either. He actually averages slightly more steals per game than Gilgeous-Alexander, thanks to his elite anticipation and hands. But Jokic isn't the rim protector that most teams are looking for from their centers, and his footspeed certainly is below-average. Jokic defends better than expected. He's not the borderline All-Defensive talent of SGA.
| Jokic | Gilgeous-Alexander | |
| PPG | 29.6 | 32.7 |
| RPG | 12.7 | 5.0 |
| APG | 10.2 | 6.4 |
| SPG | 1.8 | 1.7 |
| 3PT% | 41.7 | 37.5 |
Don't punish Nikola Jokic for having a bad boss
One of the most powerful arguments for Gilgeous-Alexander to win the award over Jokic is that his team is much better. That's an undeniable fact — the Thunder have run roughshod over the rest of the league, and Shai has been a major reason why on both ends of the floor.
Jokic has a lot less talent to work with. Former Nuggets lead executive Calvin Booth paled in comparison to the Thunder's Sam Presti. Why should Jokic be punished for that fact? It's not Jokic that let starter Kentavious Caldwell-Pope walk in free agency, gave Jamal Murray a maximum contract, or tried to plug backup center minutes with Dario Saric, who has fallen completely out of the rotation. Things were so bad around him that both his coach and general manager were fired with just three games left in the season.
Jokic is doing everything in his power to make those guys better. The Nuggets are an unbelievable 20.7 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor, according to Cleaning the Glass. They fall apart whenever he sits. Gilgeous-Alexander's 10.4 points per 100 possessions is also a terrific mark, but essentially half of Jokic's impact.
If Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander swapped teams, then the Thunder would still be the best team in the West. The Nuggets might be in the Play-In tournament.
Gilgeous-Alexander will get recognition during the playoffs, where he should win Finals MVP if his team reaches its goal. To me, the MVP award is a regular-season award for the best individual performance.
Don't let bad middle managers shade the brilliance of the league's brightest star. Jokic is putting forth one of the best seasons in NBA history. And he's doing it the right way, not caring about his stats or winning his fourth award. He's the best player in the league, and that's why he's our Player of the Year.