Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic is the MVP again. Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Nuggets star Nikola Jokic wins second straight MVP Award

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 5/9/22

Make that two in a row for Nikola Jokic.

The Denver Nuggets big man has been voted the NBA's MVP for a second straight year, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported early Monday morning. A formal announcement about the award is expected to be made later this week.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been voted the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for a second consecutive season, sources tell ESPN. A formal announcement is expected this week.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) May 9, 2022

The towering center averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game in 2022 and became the first player to hit 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a season.

Nikola Jokic this season (with team rank):

PPG: 27.1 (1st)
RPG: 13.8 (1st)
APG: 7.9 (1st)
Stl PG: 1.5 (1st)
Blk PG: 0.9 (1st)
FG pct: 58% (1st)

The Nuggets were +444 when he was on the floor and -255 when he was off this season.
— Matt Williams (@StatsWilliams) May 9, 2022

Jokic also becomes the 15th player in NBA history to win Most Valuable Player in back-to-back years.

Back-to-back NBA MVPs:

Russell 1961-1963
Chamberlain 1966-1968
Abdul-Jabbar 1971-1972, 1976-1977
Malone 1982-1983
Bird 1984-1986
Johnson 1989-1990
Jordan 1991-1992
Duncan 2002-2003
Nash 2005-2006
James 2009-2010, 2012-2013
Curry 2015-2016
Antetokounmpo 2019-2020
Jokic 2021-2022 https://t.co/ZtYcsgOff2
— Justin Kubatko (@jkubatko) May 9, 2022

Runners up for the award were Giannis Antetokounmpo — the last player to be named MVP in back-to-back seasons — and Joel Embiid, who many are arguing should have won the award over Jokic both years.

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