Jokic Being the MVP is a Joke

Nikola Jokic won his third MVP last night. I knew it was going to happen. The moment Joel Embiid got hurt, it was a foregone conclusion that he was winning the award. No one was going to catch him. Guys could have gone off, the media wanted to give Jokic this award.

When I heard the news, my son told me while we were at karate, I scoffed. I was annoyed. I know I shouldn't let this bother me, but it does. After we returned home, I saw some stories flying around about how this puts Jokic on another level. The only other people who have won at least three MVP's in the NBA are Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, LeBron James and Michael Jordan. Jokic is now going to be mentioned with these other guys, and that seems wrong to me. These other guys are hall of fame caliber players. These other guys are transcendent talents. Jordan is the greatest to ever step on the court. Magic is Magic. He is, quite possibly, the greatest point guard of all time. Moses Malone is the greatest rebounder to ever play the game. He is also the first prep to pro player. Larry Bird was a certified killer. He wanted to rip your heart out. Bill Russell has 11 championship rings and is the best defensive player ever. Kareem is one of the greatest to ever do it. He was also the dominant big man for the Lakers when they started their whole dynasty. And LeBron James is the second greatest to ever do it. He is a point guard in a linebacker's body. He is the icon of the 2000's. He is still producing at an incredibly high rate at 38 years old. He has changed the game forever.

And now we have Jokic. What has he truly done to be on these guys' level? Honestly. I get the whole analytic stuff and the stat counting. That is all well and good. But damn if he is not anywhere near these other guys. He is not even close. And he doesn't even have a personality. When he made a mention that he "doesn't even pay attention to this stuff", that rubbed me the wrong way. He wants to be this aloof guy that doesn't care about what he does as a profession. He cares more about his horses and his bully brothers. If he hates this sport that much, if he doesn't want to continue to do this, why does he do it then? No one is forcing him. I don't find his crummy attitude charming. He annoys the hell out of me. And he is mind numbingly boring to watch play basketball. I don't care what all the white nerdy writers at ESPN and The Ringer have to say about his game, he is dull. I don't think his passing is otherworldly. He is not the rebounder he should be. He is a total zero on defense. And he brings nothing exciting to the game of basketball. Just because nerdy analytic guys like him, that doesn't mean he is the MVP.

Once again there is no possible way he should be mentioned with the other players that won at least three MVP awards. Oh, and he now has more MVP awards than current players like Giannis Antentekoumpo, Joel Embiid, Shai Gilgeous Alexander, Anthony Edwards, Jalen Brunson, Jayson Tatum, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler, among many others. He also has more MVP's than former players like Tim Duncan, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, David Robinson, Clyde Drexler, Allen Iverson, Hakeem Olajuwon and Kevin Garnett. That is insanity to me. He is not on any of those guys' level either. I'd so much rather have Olajuwon as my center. Give me Shaq all day. David Robinson is a better offensive player than Jokic, and a far, far, far better defender. It doesn't make sense to me.

I feel like when my son, who is 12, is going to look back at this when he is my age and be grossed out that analytics took over the game for a time being. None of the voters seem to care about playing both ends of the floor, about love of the game or about importance to a team. This was a throw away award the moment they added the 65 game limit and Embiid got hurt.

The MVP award is now officially a joke. Jokic being a three time winner is even funnier and kind of sad to me. But hey, at least the analytic nerds can go around and tell people how smart they are now that he has won this award 3 times in 4 years. This makes the NBA MVP award as important as the Grammys. What a joke. 

Ty

Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.

Come and support Ty and the podcast on Patreon.

Follow Ty on instagram.