“Worst MVP winner”: Gilbert Arenas throws shade at Nikola Jokic for bagging NBA’s prestigious award

Despite not fitting the traditional mold of an MVP in the NBA, Nikola Jokic has achieved the title of the most unlikely MVP in league history. Unlike previous MVPs such as Michael Jordan and LeBron James, known for their athletic prowess and flashy play, Jokic has established himself as a low-profile yet incredibly impactful player.

During their conversation on the “Night Cap” podcast, Gilbert Arenas and NFL legend Shannon Sharpe discussed Jokic. According to a report, an NBA executive expressed doubt about Jokic winning a third MVP award this season, believing it would not hold up over time.

Arenas not only concurred with the executive, but he also proceeded to declare Jokic as the least deserving MVP recipient in the past forty years.

According to the former Washington Wizards player, the ongoing discussion about Jokic potentially winning the MVP award is troubling. Arenas believes that Jokic was not deserving of the MVP title in both 2021 and 2022.

“Jokic is probably, statistically when it comes to overall game, the worst MVP winner…in the last 40 year,” Arenas remarked.

Arenas further commented that the top two teams in the NBA typically produce the most outstanding players and ultimately win the MVP award. Referencing Jokic’s MVP campaign, Arenas indirectly criticized the two-time MVP by highlighting the Denver Nuggets’ position in the league.

“When you are talking about MVP, the people who won the MVP, their team was first and second place,” Arenas added.

In both the 2020-21 and 2021-22 seasons, Nikola Jokic won the MVP award. During the 2020-21 season, the Nuggets were the third seed in the Western Conference, and in the 2021-22 season, they were the sixth seed.

Arenas further referenced past exceptions, noting that only players from top teams who have had exceptional seasons have won the award. Criticizing Jokic, he argued that his statistics do not hold up to this standard and could set a negative precedent.

During the 2020-21 season, Nikola Jokic maintained an average of 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists. The following season, the Nuggets’ star improved with an average of 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game. While not record-breaking, these statistics are undeniably remarkable for a center.

Stephen A. Smith Believes Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the Real MVP Over Nikola Jokic

Despite Nikola Jokic being the clear frontrunner for the MVP title this season, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith argues that another player is more deserving. According to Smith, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a stronger chance of taking home the MVP award.

Referring to the accomplishments of the SGA this season, Smith stated that the Thunder’s guard has had an even more remarkable and momentous season this year.

The NBA analyst affirms that SGA has maintained consistency throughout the season and has shown improvement in his defensive skills. Additionally, the star player has scored more points than Jokic this season.

Despite playing 71 games this season, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has consistently excelled on both offense and defense. His impressive performance includes averaging 30.3 points per game, ranking him third in the league. Furthermore, he maintains a shooting percentage of 53.9% from the field and 36.5% from beyond the arc. In addition, he contributes an average of 5.5 rebounds and 6.3 assists per game.

In addition to this, SGA has also been at the top of the league for steals, averaging 2.1 steals per game. What is even more impressive is that he has achieved this feat in over 50 games where he has scored 30 or more points.

Along with his impressive scoring average of 26.4 points, Nikola Jokic has been consistently recording 12.3 rebounds and nine assists per game. Additionally, the Nuggets currently share the top spot in the Western Conference with the Minnesota Timberwolves.