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“Best season of my life”: The international player crowned NBA MVP
Denver Nuggets’ superstar Nikola Jokic has become the sixth international player to win the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award.
“Kind of the cherry on the top is probably the trophy, so I think this is my the best season of my life.”
JOKIC SAID AFTER WINNING MPV.
Jokic polled 91 of the 101 first-place votes to be the clear winner.
Philadelphia 76ers Joel Embiid and Steph Curry from the Golden State Warriors were second and third, respectively.
“To be honest, I didn’t even think of being in the NBA when I started to play basketball back home,”
jokic said.
“It was playing Euro League, because that was kind of the closest top league to my country…but then the Denver Nuggets drafted me it was an opportunity for me to become an NBA player, and I think I did a good job of using that opportunity.”
Jokic also became the first centre since Shaquille O’Neal in 2000 to win the league’s top individual honour.
Jokic is also the lowest-ever NBA Draft pick (No. 41 overall) to win the highly regarded award.
Meanwhile, Australia’s Ben Simmons finished 12th in the voting after receiving one fourth-place vote, placing him above superstars like LeBron James.