Nikola Jokic joins historic Larry Bird company despite MVP snub

That just shows how special The Joker really is. He actually put up career numbers this season, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.6 assists while shooting 41.7% from three-point land. Jokic did it all for the Nuggets, but it wasn’t enough to get past SGA and the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, although they did push the No. 1 seed out West to seven games.

We all know Nikola Jokic isn’t too worried about the individual awards. I mean, even when the Nuggets won a championship, he simply said the job is now finished. The center never shows a ton of excitement, but he does play with passion.

The reality is we’ve never seen a player like Jokic who does it all at his size, especially when it comes to his passing. The Joker is an uber-talented playmaker who makes everyone around him better.

The veteran won MVP in 2021 and 2022 before finishing as a runner-up to Joel Embiid in 2023. He was back on top in 2024 before coming in second in ’25. If Gilgeous-Alexander didn’t play out of his mind and lead the Thunder to the best record in the Association, Nikola Jokic would certainly have another MVP in his trophy case.

Needless to say, I’m sure the Serb will be back in the running in 2025-26 as he looks to lead Denver to the Promised Land again. It could be hard to top his numbers from this season, though.