With the NBA season in full swing, all eyes are on the court for the MVP title. Who's on the watch? How can players be eligible?
We're starting to dive deeper into the 2024-2025 season of the NBA, which means the Most Valuable Player (MVP) title for the regular season is up for grabs. With so many gifted athletes in the league, who will be up for this achievement? Lots of different factors are to be considered, with how they play during the regular season being the biggest one. Sometimes it is a clear cut decision, other times it can be hard to tell. As the competition fires up, it all comes down to the stats of each game.
When selecting MVP, analysts look at a player’s record, but it can also be determined by how much a player can carry a team to wins; if he defies all odds by going against sports analysts preseason predictions; or if a player doesn't only benefit from playing with all-star players but can actually stand out as an individual. Now that the season is heating up, there are already a few names going around about who would be a great contestant for the title.
Some predictions are in favor of Denver Nuggets player Nikola Jokic, who has been recognized for winning numerous awards, including Most Valuable Player in 2024, 2022, and 2021. He currently ranks as one of the top players in the NBA for scoring, rebounds, and assists, as the Nuggets stand at number four within the Western Conference. This season, Jokic has 30.7 points, 13.0 rebounds, and 9.7 assists.
Another serious candidate for MVP this year is Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, from the Oklahoma City Thunder, who has been turning heads. He has had an amazing season so far, as his team has been outscoring their opponents by 17.1 points per 100 possessions. His personal defense has leveled up as he ranks number three in steals per game, and number two among guards in total blocks.
Some of the other contenders include Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks, and Victor Wembanyama from the San Antonio Spurs. These two have been on top of their game lately, with Antetokounmpo being this season's leading scorer, and Wembanyama leading for most blocks. Wembanyama had a remarkable previous season winning Rookie of the Year (ROTY), meanwhile Giannis won MVP two years in a row, back in 2019 and 2020. Last noticeable player for MVP would be Jayson Tatum from the Boston Celtics, as the team as a whole has been electric. Tatum has come from last season as a defending champ, winning the NBA Championship against the Dallas Mavericks during the 2023-2024 season, and has been scoring 20 points or more in straight games, shooting over 50% of the time.
It seems that there's so much talent across the board for this achievement, but just like any evolving season, nothing is ever set in stone. Some players like Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks might have been a candidate this year, but unfortunately an injury made him ineligible to be considered for the award. How can a player become ineligible? Last year the NBA rolled out a new rule, declaring that players can only be eligible for end-of-season awards including MVP, Defensive Player, and other NBA Honors, if they play in at least 65 games out of 82. Doncic has already missed 19 games this season due to his left calf strain, so if the new rule is being applied, that would mean he wouldn't be in standing for MVP anymore.
Many factors have a play in who gets the rights to the MVP name. As the season continues, the title all lays out in their court, and we're excited to see what the outcome will be!
Edited by Elsa Olano
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