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Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic among NBA MVP finalists

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4 daysBasketball

Nikola Jokić will have a chance to be part of an exclusive list of four-time winners of the NBA's Most Valuable Player Award, as the Denver Nuggets star is among three finalists for this season's honour announced by the league on Sunday.

Jokic is accompanied by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo on the finalist list. Jokic previously claimed the award for the 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2023–24 campaigns and is bidding to join Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six times), Michael Jordan and Bill Russell (five each) and LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain (four each) as the only four-time recipients in league history. 

Antetokounmpo will be seeking his third MVP after winning in both 2018-19 and 2019-20, though the Greek superstar is considered a massive long-shot to do so based on wagering odds. Sportsbooks have declared the race a two-man competition between Jokic and betting favourite Gilgeous-Alexander, the 2024-25 scoring champion.

Gilgeous-Alexander averaged a franchise-record 32.7 points per game as the driving force behind a Thunder team that won a league-high 68 games during the regular-season. Jokic joined Hall of Famer Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook as the only players in league history to average a triple-double for the season after the Serbian standout put up totals of 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds and 10.2 assists per game.

Jokic is also a finalist for the NBA's Clutch Player of the Year award, with New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards the other candidates.

Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels is the only other player named a finalist for two of this season's awards. The NBA's steals leader is in the running for the league's Defensive Player of the Year and Most Improved Player.

Golden State Warriors veteran Draymond Green, the 2016-17 winner, and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Evan Mobley are the other two Defensive Player of the Year finalists. Daniels will be competing with Detroit Pistons star Cade Cunningham and Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac for Most Improved Player.

San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama likely would have been considered the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year, but the reigning Rookie of the Year was declared ineligible for not meeting the NBA's league minimum for games played. Wembanyama's season ended in February after only 46 appearances due to a blood clot in his shoulder.

The Spurs will still have a chance for a second consecutive Rookie of the Year winner after guard Stephon Castle was named a finalist, along with Atlanta Hawks forward and 2024 No. 1 overall pick Zaccharie Risacher and Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaylen Wells.

Kenny Atkinson, who guided the Cavaliers to 64 wins and an Eastern Conference regular-season title, is one of the finalists for Coach of the Year, with Detroit's J.B. Bickerstaff and Ime Udoka of the Houston Rockets the other candidates.

Cleveland is also represented in the Sixth Man of the Year race, as guard Ty Jerome is a finalist along with Detroit's Malik Beasley and Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard.