OPINION

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By Hudson Pace

As the 2023 NBA regular season came to a close, the debate for who was the most valuable player of the year was controversial. The three frontrunners for the title were Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets, Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks. Each had impressive seasons. Jokić led the Nuggets to finish first in the Western Conference, with a record of 53-29. Antetokounmpo led the Bucks to a first-place finish in the East, with a record of 58-24, and Embiid led the NBA with 33.1 points per game. The MVP award is voted on by a group of sportswriters and broadcasters as they take into account the entire 2022-2023 NBA season. Embiid took the prize on Wed., May 3, and, in my opinion, justly beat out the other two top contenders. 

Jokić at the free throw line. Photo credit: All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia.

Jokić won the MVP award the last two seasons, hoping this year to become the first person since Larry Bird (1984-1986) to win three in a row. This season Jokić averaged 24.5 points per game, 11.8 rebounds, and 9.8 assists per game, the only player to put up those types of numbers this year. Jokic plays a unique style of basketball for a 6’11″, 285-pound center. He looks to distribute the ball first, which is very uncommon for players in today’s NBA. Along with his impressive per-game statistics, he led the league in triple-doubles this year, with 29. 

Despite Jokić’s stellar performance this season, there were a few factors against his chances for MVP. First, Jokić sat out five of his last seven games, while his opponents Embiid and Antetokounmpo performed very strongly. Second, Jokic’s lack of dominance, especially in the playoffs, was a concern for the MVP voters. Jokic has not had much success in the playoffs, only making one Western Conference finals in a loss to the Lakers in 2019. Jokić also isn’t very strong defensively, as Chris Mannix from Sports Illustrated says Jokić is “light-years behind Antetokounmpo and Embiid in that category.” 

Jokić’s stats this year, mixed with his team’s success, provide a very convincing argument for his MVP candidacy. However, I don’t believe he should have been the winner. The media was favoring Jokić at one point, and he was a front-runner, but in the end he didn’t have what it takes. 

Antetokounmpo. Photo credit: Keith Allison via Wikimedia.

Antetokounmpo had yet another stellar season, averaging 31.1 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game, and 5.7 assists per game. Antetokounmpo is arguably the best all-around defender in the NBA and also led his team to a first-place finish in the East. Antetokounmpo has won two MVPs in his incredible career so far. Not this year, though. In most years, the numbers and performances that Antetokounmpo has achieved would make him a clear front-runner for the MVP, but I think both Jokić and Embiid outplayed him. 

Embiid has had the best year out of the three. Embiid has been dominant and pretty much unguardable throughout the season. He put up incredible numbers, averaging 33.1 points per game, 10.2 rebounds per game, 4.2 assists per game, and 1.7 blocks per game. Embiid has finished runner-up for MVP in the last two seasons. I believe Embiid’s impact on the game, offensively and defensively, has been greater than the other two players. He’s arguably the most difficult player to guard, as he is 7’0″, 285 pounds, can shoot from outside, and is also the best post-player in the league. 

Embiid at the free throw line. Photo credit: All-Pro Reels via Wikimedia.

Former player and NBA analyst Jalen Rose said, “For me, the 2023 MVP race came down to the last minute of the last day. Three spectacular candidates and Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokić, and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Each had spectacular seasons in their own right. But without further ado, my choice is Joel Embiid. I think he was the most complete and most dominant in every phase. Blocking shots, changing shots, and being an anchor defensively, but also offensively, just dominating in the paint. Turning over both shoulders in the post, knocking down shots mid-range, making threes, making free throws. Joel Embiid with three 50-point games, including how he closed it out against the Celtics and how he dominated Jokić one-on-one… Joel Embiid got my vote.”

The NBA MVP race this year was arguably the closest it has been in the last few years. In the previous two seasons, Jokić had control over the race, winning pretty easily. This year was certainly different, as all three candidates were deserving of the award. Yet I agree with the voters’ choice of Embiid as MVP due to his dominance and defensive ability.