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Although we may agree with the consensus that three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic remains the best player in the world, the MVP award is reserved for the top regular season performer and in 2024-25, that has been none other than Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.Â
Gilgeous-Alexander leads the NBA in scoring this season at 32.7 points per game, to go with his 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1.0 blocks on 51.9/37.5/89.8 percent shooting splits. The former Kentucky standout also leads the league in nightly made free throws at 7.9. The advanced analytics also highly rate Gilgeous-Alexander’s production this season, with SGA ranking first in Win Shares per 48 Minutes (WS/48) while sitting second in Box Plus/Minus (BPM) and Value Over Replacement Player (VORP).Â
Of course, the detractors can point to the fact that Jokic himself has been spectacular once more in 2024-25, ranking first in BPM and VORP, and second in WS/48, while looking to become just the third player in league history to average a triple-double for a full season. The Serbian superstar is putting up 30.0 points, 12.8 rebounds and 10.2 assists to go with 1.8 steals on 57.7 percent shooting from the floor, and 41.5 percent from three. Statistically, that might be the greatest non-Wilt season ever. (BPM has it No. 2 in that regard, behind only Jokic’s masterful 2021-22 season.)
Even so, when taking the full picture into account – team records (the Nuggets just fired championship-winning head coach Michael Malone as the team sits at 47-32 while OKC has the best record in the NBA at 65-14), defense, Gilgeous-Alexander being an offensive force all unto himself, as well as games played (SGA has nine more games played than Jokic in ‘25) – that left us with Gilgeous-Alexander as the MVP for 2024-25.
Full vote
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander2. Nikola Jokic3. Giannis Antetokounmpo4. Jayson Tatum5. Anthony Edwards6. Cade Cunningham7. Donovan Mitchell
