NIKOLA JOKIĆ NAMED KIA NBA MOST VALUABLE PLAYER FOR THIRD TIME IN CAREER
Jokić wins the award for the third time in four seasons and becomes the ninth player in NBA history to win three MVP Awards
Denver, May 8, 2024 – It was announced today that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić has been named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player for the 2023-24 season as voted on by members of the media. It is the third time Jokić has earned MVP honors in his career, becoming the ninth player in NBA history to win the award three or more times.
Jokić, 29, capped off another historic campaign by becoming the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to average at least 25 points, 12 rebounds and nine assists for a single season. Jokić also earned his sixth consecutive All-Star nomination this season, his fourth straight year being named an All-Star starter. He was named Western Conference Player of the Month once (November) as well as Western Conference Player of the Week twice (Oct 29. and Apr. 14).
In 79 games (all starts), Joker averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and 9.0 assists in a career-high tying 34.6 minutes per game, helping lead the Nuggets to a franchise tying best 57 wins. He shot 58.3% from the field and 35.9% from three while adding 1.37 steals per game and a career-high .86 blocks per game.
Jokić registered 25 triple-doubles, one shy of the NBA lead and 68 double-doubles, the most double-doubles in a season in franchise history. He now has had 20+ triple-doubles in consecutive seasons, becoming one of four players in NBA history (Robertson, Westbrook, Chamberlain) to record 20+ triple-doubles in multiple seasons. Jokić finished with a career-high 708 assists, passing Wilt Chamberlain for the most by a center in a single season in NBA history and moved him into second place all-time for most assists by a center. It also marks his fifth straight season with 550+ assists, tying Fat Lever for most such seasons in franchise history.
He led the NBA in PER (Player Efficiency Rating), finished 2nd in total assists (4th in apg), 3rd in total rebounds (4th in rpg), 5th in total points (12th in ppg), 8th in total steals (20th in spg) and 10th in field goal percentage.
Jokić also led the league in Win Shares (17.0), Offensive Win Shares (12.0), Box Plus/Minus (13.2), Offensive Box Plus/Minus (4.2), Defensive Box Plus/Minus (9.0) and Value Over Replacement Player (10.6). Additionally, Joker led the Nuggets in total points, rebounds and assists for the seventh consecutive season, becoming the first player in NBA history to accomplish this feat (no one had done this in four straight seasons prior to Nikola in 2020-21).
The Sombor, Serbia native was originally drafted by Denver with the 41st pick of the 2014 NBA Draft. In 2021, he became the lowest draft position to win the MVP (previous Nash & Antetokounmpo at 15th overall) and the first center to win MVP since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000. Jokić followed that season up by winning the award again in 2022, becoming the 13th player in NBA history to win MVP in consecutive seasons and the first center to do so since Moses Malone in 1982-83.
Jokić has appeared in 675 career games (634 starts) for the Nuggets and owns career averages of 20.9 points, 10.7 rebounds, 6.9 assists and 1.20 steals per game. He currently ranks first in rebounds, first in assists, third in points, fourth in steals and fourth in 3FG’s in Nuggets franchise history. The 2023 NBA champion and Finals MVP has appeared in 75 playoff games (all starts) for Denver, averaging 27.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.10 steals per game.