Nikola Jokic wins 2023-2024 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award

Denver Nuggets superstar centerNikola Jokic has won the 2023-2024 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player,the league announced Wednesday night.

Jokic, 29, won the award overco-finalists Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunderand Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks. He had 79 1st place votes(equivalent to 10 points), 18 2nd place points (equivalent to 7points), and 2 3rd place points (equivalent to 5 points) to finishwith a total of 926 points. Gilgeous-Alexander secured 2nd placewith a total of 640 points while Doncic finished third with 566points.

Jokic wins the award for thethird time, having previously earned the honor in the 2020-21 and2021-22 seasons. He averaged 26.4 PPG, 12.4 RPG, and 9.0 APG on58.3% FG, 35.9% 3P, and 81.7% FT.

Jokic is the ninth player to winthree or more MVP awards, joining the exclusive list of KareemAbdul-Jabbar, Michael Jordan, and LeBron James amongothers.

This adds to Jokic’s alreadylegendary legacy to his career, which also includes an NBAchampionship and a Finals MVP from last season.

Jokic led Denver to a West-besttying 57-25 record this season, finishing second seed in theWestern Conference just behind the Thunder. The Nuggets aim torepeat as champions this year, and they are in a tight seriesagainst the Minnesota Timberwolves to reclaim that feat. They havealready ousted the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round in justfive games.

Jokic and the Nuggets hope tocontinue this partnership for years to come as he is in the peak ofhis prime now with a capable team surrounding him to contend andwin as many championships as they can.