Nikola Jokić won the NBA MVP award for the second year in a row.
Serbian basketball player became the MVP for the second time and joined an elite company. Unfortunately, we can not enjoy the games on Denver Nuggets center in the playoffs anymore, but the regular season was a one to remember. He led his injury weakened Nuggets team to a sixth place in the western conference. Nikola also put up some historic achievements that are worth mentioning. How did Nikola Jokić become two times NBA MVP?
Amazing MVP season for Nikola Jokić
Nikola Jokić became the first player in NBA history that put up 2000 points,1000 rebounds, and 500 assists in a single season. He managed to do that even without the help of two of Denver’s star players – Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. Even without the injured stares, he managed to bring the Nuggets team into the playoffs as a sixth seed of the western conference. But in the first round of the playoffs, the Golden State Warriors were just a better team. If we go back to the beginning of the season, we can see that Nikola started the season well. November and December were not as good, but he made it up for those 2 months with an amazing second NBApart of the season. He had 19 triple-doubles in a season and finished the last 10 games averaging 33.1 points, 6.8 assists, and 14.2 rebounds.
Nikola Jokić statistics for the 2021/22 season
In 74 regular-season games, he averaged 27.1 points in 33 minutes of playtime. It’s all thanks to a high field-goal percentage of 58%. He was shooting 33,7% for 3, 65,2% for 2. And the free throws? 81%.
To a 27.1 points average, headed 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.9 blocks per game.
He led his team to a sixth seed in the western conference with 48 wins and 34 losses. In five games of the playoff’s first-round series against the Golden State Warriors, he averaged 31.0 points, 13.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game.
Jokić won the historical MVP race
This year’s MVP race was historical in all respects. Luka Dončić, Devin Booker, and DeMar DeRozan were also mentioned in the MVP debates, but there were 3 finalists for the award. Nikola Jokić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Joel Embiid. We witnessed one of the craziest MVP races in a long time. Nikola Jokić already won it last year, Giannis was an MVP before him, for 2 seasons in a row, so it all looked like, it’s Embiid’s turn this year. But Jokić had other plans. After the eye test, statistics broke NBA through, and the voting, Nikola took the award for the second consecutive year.
Did you know?
Nikola Jokić is the first MVP in the last 15 seasons, without his signature sneaker. The last MVP in this category was no other than Dirk Nowitzki. Even without the signature sneaker, they are both parts of the Nike family. The weapon of choice for Nikola Jokič? The Nike Zoom GT Jump.
Multiple MVP winners club
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – 6x MVP
- Bill Russell – 5x MVP
- Michael Jordan – 5x MVP
- Wilt Chamberlain – 4x MVP
- LeBron James – 4x MVP
- Moses Malone – 3x MVP
- Larry Bird – 3x MVP
- Magic Johnson – 3x MVP
2 times MVP winners – Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, and of course the newest member – Nikola Jokić.
2 times in a row MVP winners – Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, LeBron James, and Stephen Curry in Giannis Antetokounmpo. And now, Nikola Jokić.
Nikola Jokić or the Sombor Shuffle
Nikola Jokić was born in the city of Sombor. He made his first basketball steps in the Vojvodina Srbijagas club where he quickly showed his talent. His 2 older brothers that are well known to the NBA fans were also playing basketball. In 2012 he signed his first contract with Mega Vizura (today’s Mega Basket). A season later he averaged 11.4 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in the ABA league. After the season he entered the NBA draft and was chosen 41st by the Nuggets. Who doesn’t know the story of Nikola being picked during the Taco Bell commercial?
In his rookie season, he averaged 10 points, 7 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Even though he was never a physical specimen, he dominated the game with his mind and was using his size smartly. Because of his shape, he was the laughing stock at the start of every season. But he was not laughing. Nikola was working hard and was becoming better and better with every season. The defense was his weakness but even on the defensive side, he’s getting better and better. If he will continue with the progress we witnessed so far, this is only a part of the story of one of the best European players of all time.
Nikola congratulations on the NBA MVP award!
