DENVER — M-V-3.
Denver Nuggets star center Nikola Jokic has been named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the third time in four years.
Jokic became the first player in franchise history to win the league's MVP award in 2021 and repeated in 2022. He was denied a third-straight last season when Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers won the 2023 MVP.
Despite missing the 2023 season MVP, Jokic led Denver to its first-ever NBA championship and was named the Finals MVP last June.
The NBA announced Wednesday evening the crown would be returning to the Denver star ahead of the playoff matchup between the Indiana Pacers and New York Knicks.
"I mean, it's gotta start with your teammates, you know? Without them I'm nothing." Jokic said when asked what the honor meant to him during a live interview after the announcement.
Shaquille O'Neal then told Jokic he thought Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder should have won.
"Joker, as the president of the big man alliance, you are the vice president of the big man alliance. You know I love you, the best player in the league," O'Neal said. "I want to congratulate you but I want you to hear it from me first, I thought that SGA should have been the MVP, but that's no disrespect to you."
"Thank you Shaq. We don't judge people here you know, so that's fine, that's your opinion," Jokic responded before laughing and saying he was kidding.
Jokic and the Nuggets currently trail the Minnesota Timberwolves 2-0 in their second-round series, and will play Game 3 on the road Friday night.
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