Has Jokic Entered the GOAT Conversation After Winning 3 MVPs in 4 Years?
After Another Historic Season, Nikola Jokic Won the MVP Award, Nearing a Triple-Double Average per Game
The Joker Gets the Last Laugh
Nikola Jokic is starting to enter a rare company. NBA rumors have suggested for weeks that the Denver Nuggets’ big man was going to win his third MVP award for his work this season. NBA news finally revealed that he beat out Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win the award.
🚨 MVP voting results 🚨 pic.twitter.com/BjsO01XSe9
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 8, 2024
Nikola Jokic’s stats were just as good this season as they were in his previous two MVP wins so it’s not a surprise he’s bringing home the trophy once again. He now joins a list of only nine players who have won three or more MVP awards, which includes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (6), Michael Jordan (5), LeBron James (4), Bill Russell (4), Larry Bird (3), Wilt Chamberlain (3), Magic Johnson (3), and Moses Malone (3).
Jokic is only 29 so he may have more MVP awards in his future.
“He continues to do things we’ve just never seen before in the NBA.”
THE JOKER.
THIRD #KiaMVP in FOUR YEARS 🔥 pic.twitter.com/gdmJVNJI0B
— NBA (@NBA) May 8, 2024
Is Nikola Jokic Entering GOAT Territory?
A lot of people weren’t sold on Jokic following his first two MVP wins because he had little success in the NBA playoffs. Last season, he led the Nuggets to a championship so that can’t be held against him anymore.
Jokic is now going to start working his way up the all-time player rankings. He’s certainly cemented himself as a top-50 player all time but it’s too early to consider him in the GOAT conversation.
Natalija Jokic narrarates a touching tribute to the MVP. 🃏
(🎥: @nuggets)pic.twitter.com/YQOB6OdHnp
— theScore (@theScore) May 9, 2024
He has just one NBA Finals appearance and the Nuggets are getting destroyed by the Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs right now. All of the greatest NBA players ever have more than one championship and many of them have more than two.
Dominant Force
Shaquille O’Neal may not have as many MVP awards as Jokic but he was the best player on four championship teams. That’s much more impressive than any individual award. Jokic is already a Hall of Famer and would still be remembered as a legendary player if he retired today but he can’t be in the GOAT conversation until he has more playoff success.
Jok knows he’s in ‘the good ol’ days’ pic.twitter.com/7WukHYhQ2O
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) May 9, 2024
Many thought the Nuggets were going to start a dynasty but that’s looking increasingly unlikely. An early playoff exit this year won’t look great on Jokic’s resume.
