The National Basketball Association is filled with surprises throughout the year.

Several players stand out, but there is only one Most Valuable Player (MVP).

Each year the NBA MVP votes on who should be MVP along with other league awards. The league voting process is rather straightforward; the NBA selects 100 panel members which consists of administrators and officials, to vote on the MVP award. 

These awards are based on statistics and how consistently a player performs. 

My pick for this year’s MVP is Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic. This pick is based on overall performance and stats. 

With that being said, Doncic’s statistical abilities along with his leadership allowed the Mavericks to push their way to success. Doncic displayed this during the 4-2 series win against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs. 

Last year, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid won league MVP, and rightfully so, as Embiid had a career-high point average of 36 points. Embiid also posted a career-high assist average of 5.8. In addition, last season Embiid had 1.8 blocks and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 53.9% from the field and had 36.8% on 3-pointers and 88.3% from the free throw line. 

This year’s candidates were Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic, Oklahoma City Thunder Guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or SGA for short. Next up is Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, who is looking for his third MVP of his career. Also in the running, is New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson and the last NBA superstar in the running is Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokumpo. 

Luka Doncic puts up impressive stats across the board, often posting triple-doubles and ranking high in points, rebounds, and assists per game. In addition, Doncic is the biggest star on the Dallas Mavericks’ offense and is very versatile which has led to the team’s success. His impressive playmaking ability and scoring prowess increase the performance of his teammates. 

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has increased the wattage on the already electric Oklahoma City Thunder offense. Gilgeous-Alexander’s impact on the Thunder has been getting larger. Not only has he exceeded expectations, but Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder ended up winning 56 games and clinching the one seed in the NBA Playoffs. They also won their series against the New Orleans Pelicans, 4-0. Gilgeous-Alexander has been averaging 30.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.5 assists.

Nikola Jokic has been a dominant player for the Denver Nuggets and is consistently in the front running for MVP. His presence under the net, his build and his three-point shooting ability makes him one of the league’s superstars. Jokic is the leader in points per game amongst centers with 26.4 points. Jokic also leads in assists per game among centers with nine assists. 

Jalen Brunson has impressed several analysts after being traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the New York Knicks. In Brunson’s second year with the Knicks, he has averaged a career-best 28.2 points per game. Although he is not leading in any statistic, Brunson has shown great improvement over the past two seasons, and now he has become one of the main stars on the New York Knicks. 

Giannis Antetokumpo has proven once again that he is an essential component of the Milwaukee Bucks, this past season Antetokumpo has averaged 30.4 points per game which is among the league’s statistical leaders. Antetokumpo has been a freak of nature under the net with an average of 20.3 points. Antetokumpo’s leadership on and off the court has also been a significant factor in team success.  

As of May 9, 2024, the NBA did select Nuggets center Nikola Jokic as the league MVP.