NBA: Nikola Jokic earns fifth consecutive top-2 MVP vote end

Denver Nuggets middle Nikola Jokic warms up sooner than Game 7 within the Western Conference semifinals of the NBA basketball playoffs in opposition to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Sunday, May 18, 2025, in Oklahoma City. (AP Photo/Kyle Phillips)

There was once Bill Russell. There was once Larry Bird. And now, there’s Nikola Jokic.

By completing 2nd on this 12 months’s MVP voting in the back of handiest Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic — the Denver Nuggets famous person — turned into simply the 3rd participant in NBA historical past with a top-two end in 5 or extra consecutive seasons.

He received the award in 2021, 2023 and 2024, plus was once 2nd in 2022 and once more this 12 months.

READ: NBA: Nikola Jokic turns 30 and having one in every of his perfect seasons

Russell and Bird, a couple of Boston Celtics greats, each and every had been first or 2nd within the voting in six consecutive seasons.

Russell received in 1958, 1961, 1962 and 1963, whilst completing 2nd in 1959 and 1960. Bird was once 2nd in 1981, 1982 and 1983 sooner than profitable in 1984, 1985 and 1986.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1971-74) and Tim Duncan (2001-04) are the opposite avid gamers with 4 directly top-two finishes. Michael Jordan and LeBron James each and every had two other streaks of 3 consecutive top-two finishes within the balloting — however by no means were given previous that.

More on Jokic

Jokic had the 6th example of a participant completing a season averaging a triple-double — a minimum of 10 issues, 10 assists and 10 rebounds in step with recreation.

Only a kind of seasons has resulted in an MVP win.

Oscar Robertson averaged a triple-double in 1961-62; he didn’t win MVP that 12 months. Russell Westbrook did it 4 instances and received the MVP award handiest as soon as in that span. And now, Jokic completed 2nd after a season statistically like none different.

International avid gamers sweep No. 1 votes once more

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander #2 of the Oklahoma City Thunder reacts after scoring right through the fourth quarter of a recreation in opposition to the Denver Nuggets in Game Seven of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Paycom Center on May 18, 2025 in Oklahoma City.  Joshua Gateley/Getty Images/AFP

For the fourth consecutive 12 months, no participant born within the U.S. were given a unmarried first-place vote within the MVP race.

Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada) were given 71 votes this 12 months, and Jokic (Serbia) were given the opposite 29.

The remaining time a U.S.-born participant were given a first-place vote was once 2021, when Stephen Curry were given 5 votes, Chris Paul were given two and Derrick Rose were given one.

Last 12 months, Jokic were given 79 first-place votes, whilst Gilgeous-Alexander were given 15, Luka Doncic (then of Dallas, now of the Los Angeles Lakers) were given 4 and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo — born in Greece and any individual additionally of Nigerian descent — were given one.

In 2023, Cameroon-born Joel Embiid (73), Jokic (15) and Antetokounmpo (12) were given all of the first-place nods, whilst in 2022 it was once Jokic (65), Embiid (26) and Antetokounmpo (9) atop all of the ballots.

For LeBron, 22 years, 20 mentions

Los Angeles Lakers ahead LeBron James appears up towards the scoreboard within the last seconds in Game 5 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff collection in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Wednesday, April 30, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers made it again onto the ballots this season, marking the 20th time in his 22 years within the NBA that he were given a minimum of one MVP vote.

He was once 6th on this 12 months’s balloting.

LeBron didn’t get a vote in both of the remaining two seasons. He’s the primary participant in NBA historical past to get a minimum of one MVP vote in 20 other seasons.

0 for 12 for No. 1 selections

The No. 1 select drought within the MVP race continues.

It’s now 12 consecutive years since a No. 1 draft select received the MVP award, going again to LeBron James – then of Miami – in 2013.

The MVPs, and their draft slot, since then:

•  Kevin Durant, MVP in 2014, No. 2 select in 2007
•  Stephen Curry, MVP in 2015 and 2016, No. 7 select in 2009
•  Russell Westbrook, MVP in 2017, No. 4 select in 2008
•  James Harden, MVP in 2018, No. 3 select in 2009
•  Giannis Antetokounmpo, MVP in 2019 and 2020, No. 15 select in 2013
•  Nikola Jokic, MVP in 2021, 2022 and 2024, No. 41 select in 2014
•  Joel Embiid, MVP in 2023, No. 3 select in 2014
•  Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, MVP in 2025, No. 11 select in 2018

Giannis’ streak ends

Apr 8, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. (3) and Milwaukee Bucks ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) have fun because the clock winds down of their 110-103 comeback victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

For the primary time in seven years, Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t get a first-place MVP vote.

That ended the longest lively streak. Nikola Jokic now has that streak, with 5 consecutive years of a minimum of one first-place vote.

Antetokounmpo’s run was once the longest within the NBA since LeBron James were given a first-place vote in 8 consecutive years from 2008 thru 2015. That run ended when Golden State’s Stephen Curry turned into the primary — and nonetheless handiest — unanimous MVP in 2016.