Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokić Predicted to Win 2026 NBA MVP Award

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has been predicted to win the 2026 NBA MVP Award.

A group of ESPN NBA experts, including reporters, editors and analysts, believe Jokić will win his fourth MVP Award next season.

“Either voter fatigue wears off quickly, or voters were very impressed by Nikola Jokić’s head-to-head battle with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the second round of the 2025 playoffs,” Ramona Shelburne wrote. “The three-time MVP came in as a heavy favorite to win for a fourth time in our preseason survey, almost doubling the votes for SGA to repeat.”

Jokić finished second in MVP voting last season. The big man averaged 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, 10.2 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.6 blocks while shooting 57.6% from the field, 41.7% from beyond the arc and 80.0% from the free-throw line. He recorded 59 double-doubles and 34 triple-doubles.

Jokić won the MVP Award in 2021, 2022 and 2024. The future Hall of Famer guided the Nuggets to the 2023 championship against the Miami Heat. Denver won 50 games in 2024-25 and beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals in seven games.

The Nuggets have been extremely busy this offseason, surrounding Jokić with more talent. The front office signed Bruce Brown and Tim Hardaway Jr., traded Michael Porter Jr. to the Brooklyn Nets for Cameron Johnson and sent Dario Šarić to the Sacramento Kings for Jonas Valančiūnas.

One of the best players in NBA history, Jokić enters next season with career averages of 21.8 points, 10.9 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks. The seven-time All-Star informed the Nuggets on July 8 that he wouldn’t sign an extension this offseason. 

Jokić can make more money next offseason, which is why the Nuggets weren’t shocked or worried by the move.