Denver Nuggets centre Nikola Jokic has joined some of the NBA’s all-time greats by winning the league’s Most Valuable Player award for the third time.
The Serb, who was previously named MVP in 2021 and 2022 and was runner-up last year, is just the ninth man to win the award three or more times.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was named MVP a record six times, Michael Jordan and Bill Russell are five-time winners, while Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James have claimed the award on four occasions.
Jokic joins Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Moses Malone as three-time winners.
“It’s a special moment I’m probably going to remember my whole life,” Jokic, 29, said. “It’s – I like to say- a legacy for after [your] career.”
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was second in the voting and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic third.
Jokic has averaged 26.4 points, 12.4 rebounds and nine assists this season and has completed 25 triple-doubles.
He became just the second player to finish with more than 2,000 points, 900 rebounds and 700 assists in a regular season as the defending NBA champions finished second in the Western Conference.
However, the Nuggets are 2-0 down against the Minnesota Timberwolves in their best-of-seven conference semi-final.
In the Eastern Conference semi-finals on Wednesday, Jalen Brunson overcame injury to spark the New York Knicks‘ comeback win against the Indiana Pacers.
Brunson went off with a right foot injury in the first half with his side leading 24-17 and in his absence the Knicks fell 73-63 behind.
He returned in the third quarter, however, and scored 24 points as the Knicks won 130-121 to take a 2-0 series lead.
