Nikola Jokic continues to dominate the league and is a frontrunner for this season’s MVP award. But while Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks recognizes the Denver Nuggets star’s incredible performance, he’s also critical of how the NBA media approaches the MVP discussion, drawing a sharp comparison to how Luka Doncic was evaluated last season.
Brunson’s main gripe centers on the disparity in narratives. Jokic is enjoying another stellar campaign, but his Nuggets currently sit as the fourth seed in the Western Conference. Brunson highlighted the fact that Doncic was denied MVP consideration last season because his Dallas Mavericks finished fifth in the standings, despite the Slovenian’s similarly historic individual numbers.
Speaking on The Roommates Show, Brunson didn’t hold back. “Jokic is playing absolutely absurd,” he said. “His numbers are crazy, right? They’re not seeded where they were last year, and people are still talking about him being MVP”.
“Individually, he deserves it,” Brunson continued. “But when Luka was averaging damn near a triple-double, and their seed was nowhere people wanted it to be, they were like, ‘Oh, he shouldn’t get the MVP because of seeding.’ Why do certain narratives work for some of the people?”
A double standard for MVP?
Last season, Luka Doncic was one of the league’s standout players, nearly averaging a triple-double. Despite this, he finished behind Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in MVP voting. Doncic led the Mavericks to the fifth seed in the West, topping the league in scoring with averages of 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game.
In contrast, Jokic claimed the MVP while guiding Denver to the second seed. The Serbian star posted stellar numbers of 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 9.0 assists per game.
This season, Jokic is again delivering incredible performances, averaging career-highs in points, assists, and steals. His current stats—31.2 points, 13.2 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.8 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game—have kept him in the MVP conversation, even as Denver sits in the fourth seed.
A new challenger for MVP
While many believe Jokic deserves another MVP trophy, Brunson suggested another candidate is making a strong case: Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous–Alexander. “But obviously Shai (Gilgeous-Alexander) is getting up there,” Brunson said. “He’s closing in as the No. 1 guy right now”.
Gilgeous-Alexander has been the driving force behind the Thunder’s rise to the top seed in the Western Conference. The Canadian guard is averaging 31.4 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, solidifying himself as a legitimate MVP contender.