Nikola Jokić MVP: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets center one of the finalists among the star players like Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid has been announced as the 2020-21 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player.
He will receive the Maurice Podoloff Trophy, which is given to the winner in honor of the first commissioner (then president) of the NBA, who served from 1946-1963.
The 2020-21 #KiaMVP is… Nikola Jokic! #NBAAwards #ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/G8NsqIA7vQ
— NBA (@NBA) June 8, 2021
Nikola has become the first player to earn the honor as a member of the Nuggets. Jokic became the first player from Europe, Serbia to win this award as the MVP. He has joined Dirk Nowitzki and Giannis Antetokounmpo from Europe.
And then what happened? https://t.co/mkS5VCEayW
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 8, 2021
Nikola was a second-round 41st pick overall in the NBA 2014 Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He then came as late for the pick that he also announced while a Taco Bell commercial was going on. Nikola although became upset with the late pick as he said to the sources that he was sleeping during the pick.
JOINS THE ELITE LIST
Where it all started pic.twitter.com/KWI6jti7ja
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 9, 2021
Moreover, he also termed as the lowest drafted players in the NBA who has joined this list of the MVP.
Since 2000, Jokic is the first center after Shaquille O’Neal. The only other second-round draft picks who named MVP was Willis Reed in 1969-1970.
Nikola Jokic is presented the 2020-21 #KiaMVP Award by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. pic.twitter.com/exJEJqFvcy
— NBA (@NBA) June 9, 2021
Nikola Jokić MVP
However, when the results came out, Jokić received 91 1st-place votes. In conclusion, he earned 971 total points from a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters as well as the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award fan vote, making for 101 ballots.
Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers (586 points) finished in 2nd place, followed by Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (453 points) in 3rd place.
Players received 10 points for each 1st-place vote, seven points for each 2nd-place vote, five points for each 3rd-place vote, three points for each 4th-place vote, and one point for each 5th-place vote.
The MVP, in his own words.
Nikola caught up with the @NBAonTNT crew after it was made official.#MileHighBasketball pic.twitter.com/40ADoHadcN
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) June 9, 2021
Nikola Jokić has played all six of his NBA seasons with the Denver Nuggets, averaging 18.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 6.0 assists in 453 career games. This season, Nikola broke the franchise records for career double-doubles and triple-doubles. After 2011, Jokic became the first Nuggets player to start an NBA All-Star Game.
