Only three players in NBA history have won back-to-back-to-back MVPs: Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, and Larry Bird. This season, reigning MVP Nikola Jokic has made a great argument to add himself to that list.
This year, Jokic is averaging 24.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 10.1 assists per game. The only two players to average a triple double in a season are Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook (who’s done it an astonishing 4 times). On top of the fact that the Nuggets are first in the Western conference before the all-star break, I think this might be the best case Jokic has had for winning the MVP in the last three years.
At this point, there are two ways you can look at the possibility of Jokic winning his third MVP at the end of the season. It’s very likely that voters will shy away from giving him the honor of joining Russell, Chamberlain, and Bird with three MVPs in a row, especially since there are some all-time greats that haven’t gotten that honor. It may be surprising to know that Hall of Famers like Kareem, Jordan, LeBron, and even Kobe aren’t on that list, but Jokic may be.
I think it would be great to see history be made. However, the players that I mentioned don’t have that accolade for their careers, especially when they were, in my opinion, more deserving of one. I can’t see how Jokic is more worthy of it than some other legends. However, that’s not to say that he hasn’t deserved his last two MVPs, and I actually think that he deserves all the praise and accolades that he receives.
It will definitely be a tight MVP race for the rest of the season, as there are plenty of other superstars deserving of an MVP. Giannis, Joel Embiid, Jayson Tatum, and Luka Doncic have all had great seasons, and minus Luka, their teams have been just as successful as the Nuggets. In fact, the top four teams in the league, (Celtics, Bucks, Nuggets, and 76ers), have the top four players in the most recent MVP Ladder.
This season has already been very eventful, and Jokic winning three MVPs in a row would only make this season more historic. I still think that anyone who wins this year will definitely be deserving, but the MVP race will be one of the main things to look out for after the all-star break.
Tagline: “Hit The Post” covers the latest topics in professional sports, with a focus on professional basketball. Each week, Arkese Claiborne covers the latest news and topics from both on and off the court.