Recently, the NBA announced that they renamed the majority of the awards for individual players in honor of different legends. With the NBA season months underway, it’s time to crown the players who I believe have played up to the standards of these awards.
Michael Jordan MVP Award: Nikola Jokic
While Jokic, the reigning back-to-back MVP, will likely not receive the award no matter what due to the media’s tendency to look for a new recipient, he certainly has played like the MVP so far. With his second and third options Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. returning, Jokic has decreased the scoring volume in favor of record-breaking efficiency and outstanding assist numbers. This year, he’s averaging 25.2 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 9.0 APG, all on an unbelievable 69.2 TS% (11.7% above league average, to give an idea of how efficient he has been). Giving the award to the same player three years in a row may be boring, but Jokic has clearly played like an MVP. On top of all of that, he has led the Nuggets to the third seed in the West, an impressive feat considering the depth and talent of the Western Conference.
Hakeem Olajuwon Defensive Player of the Year: Anthony Davis
Davis has been the Lakers’ best player this year, and much of that is due to his defense. Coming into this season, doubts on the ability of Davis were at an all-time high, but AD has silenced the critics with his play this year. On defense, he looks reminiscent of the New Orleans and 2020 Los Angeles versions of himself that dominated the defensive side of the ball because of his generational combination of versatility, help defense, and rim protection. Davis will likely not be the runaway winner of this award, as he has just suffered an injury that has slated him to miss at least a month of basketball. Still, up to this point, he has looked like the clear best defender in the sport. Averaging 1.3 steals and 2.1 blocks per contest, Davis boasts an impressive defensive rating of 105.8. This stat highlights his defensive ability even more when looking at the context of it, as defensive rating is largely influenced by a player’s team, and the Lakers were not built for defense as evidenced by their collective 112.5 defensive rating.
Wilt Chamberlain Rookie of the Year: Paolo Banchero
Not much needs to be said about this pick. With Chet Holmgren, the #2 pick, suffering a season-ending injury before the season even started in an already weak class, Banchero was the ROTY favorite from day one. However, that statement is not meant to take away from Banchero’s excellence this year. The Duke product is averaging a nice 22.0 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 3.9 APG this year on 55.9 TS%. While the stats themselves are enough to crown Paolo already, I encourage every NBA fan to catch a Magic game so that they can see just how good Paolo is. When watching him and how he plays, there is a clear comparison: LeBron James. Banchero has not only established himself as the runaway Rookie of the Year, but he has also made a case to be a fringe All-Star. With that being said, the NBA could just give him the award right now and face little criticism from the rest of the league.
John Havlicek Sixth Man of the Year: Malcolm Brogdon
Brogdon went from a high-caliber starting point guard on the Pacers to the offensive engine of the Celtics’ bench, and the transition has been seamless for him. This year, Brogdon is averaging a respectable 13.7 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.8 APG, all on an efficient 61.9 TS%. More importantly, Brogdon has filled an important hole on this Celtics team, which is his role as an extra ball handler and playmaker that can pressure opposing defenses. Brogdon’s contributions have helped the Celtics steamroll the NBA on their way to a league best 23-10 record, and for that, he has more than earned the Sixth Man of the Year title.
George Mikan Most Improved Player: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
SGA is currently the runaway favorite on virtually all betting platforms to win this award, and it’s for good reason. Last year, Shai was a fringe All-Star candidate averaging 24.5 PPG, 5.9 APG, and 5.0 RPG on 55.7 TS%. This year, the Kentucky product has been playing like a top ten player, averaging 31.6 PPG, 5.7 APG, and 4.8 RPG on a much improved 62.0 TS%. And although Shai is on a rebuilding Thunder squad, he’s playing at such a high-level to the point where OKC can’t lose all their games even if they were trying. For a team that many “experts” thought were going to be at the bottom of the standings, the Thunder have managed a respectable 14-19 record, and that’s mostly due to the play of SGA. He’s improved in all facets of his game, most notably his scoring, efficiency, and defense. The Most Improved Player would be the cherry on top for the season Shai has had, as he will surely receive an All-Star nod as well as an All-NBA selection.
Jerry West Clutch Player of the Year: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
On top of being the Most Improved Player, I have Shai taking home more hardware as this year’s Clutch Player of the Year. Honestly, I think the award itself is pointless and will just be given to a player who has a good reputation in the media as a “clutch player.” However, if I did have to award it to someone, it would be SGA. Shai is currently the league’s leader in total clutch points, and sixth in clutch points per game. He also has hit two game-winning buzzer-beating shots so far, which in my opinion puts him ahead of other competitors. DeMar Derozan is also a strong candidate for the award, averaging more clutch points per game than Shai, and likely has a better shot at winning it due to his reputation.
Concluding Thoughts
The league is at an all-time high level of talent, and picking winners for these awards was not easy. In reality, most of the candidates I picked will likely not win their respective awards at the end of the year; however, every player listed here is deserving in their own way.
Floor General 