Home BASKETBALL NBA Nikola Jokic’s Historic Season May Not Win MVP — And That’s Wild

Nikola Jokic’s Historic Season May Not Win MVP — And That’s Wild

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The tightest MVP race yet, and Jokic might lose it  

SGA, Wemby, Luka and Jokic made 2025-26 unforgettable. Jokic’s record year may still fall short of MVP as OKC’s star claims best record.


27.7 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 10.7 APG. 34 triple-doubles. First ever to top rebounds and assists. Still, Jokic isn’t the MVP favorite. Full breakdown...


Up just two with a minute left in overtime, the Denver Nuggets were desperate for a key basket to pull clear of the Spurs. In a game they had to win, Denver needed as much breathing room as possible - a victory would actually move them closer to San Antonio in the crowded Western Conference standings.


With the shot clock ticking down, Nikola Jokic caught the ball on the right wing, paused for a couple seconds, and surveyed the floor. The star center took a few dribbles, backed his defender into the paint, then hit him with a pass fake, spun back, and fired a one-legged fadeaway. Clutch. It dropped, and the arena erupted.


The degree of difficulty was one thing, but the defender made it even tougher. Victor Wembanyama — the 7-foot-4 phenom with an 8-foot wingspan — tops the league in blocks and is the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year. He’s a nightmare matchup for anyone.


Except Jokic.


Denver took the game 136-134, extending their season-ending 12-game win streak. That late run was crucial for the Nuggets, as they just beat out the Los Angeles Lakers and Houston Rockets for third in the standings and a better playoff path. They’ll meet the sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves in round one.



Seeking Redemption in Denver

The Mile High City squad is out for revenge after losing to Minnesota two years ago in a tight, seven-game second-round thriller. Denver had the higher seed, but Minnesota cracked the code on their high-powered offense and shut the Nuggets down to book a trip to the conference finals.


This season, Denver wants a different ending. With Jokic playing the best basketball of his career in the driver’s seat.
 

In 2024, Jokic claimed his third MVP award, edging out Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in the voting. He put up 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 58.3% from the field and 35.9% from three — absurd numbers that cemented his status as the best player in the league. Then he upped the ante again, averaging a triple-double the next season.


First Ever to Top Two Major Categories

Still, that wasn’t the ceiling for the Serbian native. The centre just completed another remarkable campaign: 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, while shooting 56.9% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc. He led the NBA in both rebounds per game and assists per game, becoming the first player in league history to do so in the same season.


But that still wasn’t his peak. The Serbian center just wrapped another stunning year: 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game on 56.9% shooting from the field and 38% from three. He led the NBA in both rebounds and assists per game, becoming the first player in league history to top both categories in the same season.




And the historic numbers don’t end there. Out of more than 1.4 million recorded 10-game stretches in NBA history, no player has ever combined for more points, rebounds, and assists than Jokic did during Denver’s recent run. In that span he racked up 252 points, 145 rebounds, and 127 assists.


Tough Competition

The basketball world is watching a ridiculous year-long run that Jokic makes look routine, to the point Denver fans almost expect his stat lines. Fadeaway jumpers. Hook shots. Threes from near halfcourt. No-look dimes and laser vision. That’s Nikola Jokic’s game - turning the spectacular into the ordinary night after night.

  
Simply put, the center just wrapped an absurd season loaded with achievements no one else has touched. It’s even wilder considering Jokic is a center without elite athleticism or leaping ability, yet he still dominates the most talented, skilled league on the planet.




He didn’t just lead the NBA with 34 triple-doubles - that’s almost double the total of Josh Giddey (13) and Jalen Johnson (13), who tied for second. He also finished second in double-doubles with 55, just one behind Karl-Anthony Towns. You can argue he’s the best player in the league right now.
 



Back in February he passed the legendary Oscar Robertson for second all-time in triple-doubles, and now Jokic is just 11 shy of Russell Westbrook’s record 209.


Since the 2020-2021 season, Jokic ranks second in total points (11,547) behind Luka Doncic (11,736) and second in total rebounds (5,320) behind Rudy Gobert (5,381), while leading the league in assists (3,982) - 327 ahead of Trae Young in second - and in total steals (618), 31 more than Anthony Edwards and 32 more than SGA.



Legacy Over MVP: Why Jokic’s Season Transcends the Award

And after an absurd regular-season run, the wildest part is this: he probably won’t win his fourth MVP. Jokic will be a finalist, but he isn’t the favorite despite his eye-popping numbers.


It’s crazy that a season this unprecedented might not be enough for MVP honors. But that’s the reality. In a razor-thin race, Gilgeous-Alexander is projected to take it after guiding the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA’s best record while averaging 31.1 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.6 assists.


Seeking Team Legacy

SGA has been dominant. Wemby has made his case with elite defense and a one-of-a-kind all-around game. Luka led the NBA in scoring and went nuclear in the spring, torching opponents with a deep offensive bag as he averaged 37.5 points per game in March.




As of now, he’s ineligible for postseason awards after playing 64 games - one short of the 65-game threshold. The Lakers filed an appeal to get one of his games recognized.


The league is loaded with talent, turning this into one of the closest MVP races we’ve seen in years. Even so, with the season he’s had, Jokic missing out feels almost unreal. His production isn’t just elite — it’s unprecedented.


Jokic is a true one-of-one player we probably won’t see again. The full scope of what he’s doing might not sink in until years from now.


With the 82-game slate finished, the MVP campaign is over. Players can’t boost their odds anymore, but they can leave a mark where it counts most + chasing a team championship.




Individual awards matter, but real legacy is built on franchise titles. In his prime, Jokic can push the Nuggets to their second Larry O’Brien trophy ever. And if he pulls it off without adding another MVP, the stats won’t be the only thing that looks extraordinary.


The voting might, too.


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