Nikola Jokic Matches Historic NBA Mark With 2nd-Place MVP Finish

For the second straight year, Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic was beaten by Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the NBA MVP award. Of course, that is cause for disappointment, as Jokic is still waiting on his fourth career MVP after winning three in a four-year span, but he has now reached a different historic mark.

Since winning his first MVP in the 2020-21 season, Jokic has finished in the top two in MVP voting every year. His six-year run as a top-two MVP finisher is tied for the longest in NBA history, matching the record set by Boston Celtics legends Bill Russell (1958-1963) and Larry Bird (1981-1986).

Jokic is the first player to reach six consecutive NBA MVP finishes in 40 years, giving another reason why he is one of the greatest players of all time, and is in one of the most dominant runs the league has seen in years.

A global media panel of 100 voters selected the winner of the 2025-26 Kia NBA Most Valuable Player Award.

The complete voting results ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/ki6ZYk5Tq9
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) May 17, 2026

Jokic finished with just ten MVP votes out of 100 this year, while Gilgeous-Alexander ran away with the award, but he put together an impressive season.

Jokic's 2025-26 season caps off a historic run

This season, Jokic averaged 27.7 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 10.7 assists per game, becoming the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double in multiple seasons and the first player to lead the league in both rebounds and assists per game in the same season.

While a month-long injury absence clouded what would have been an even more impressive season, and potentially even cost him the MVP award in the long run, he still managed to put together one of the most statistically dominant seasons the NBA has ever seen.

Rebounds per game: 12.9 (1st)
Assists per game: 10.7 (1st)

Nikola Jokić is the first player to lead the NBA in both RPG and APG in a season since 1969-70 (when leaders began to be determined by per-game averages).

The 3x Kia NBA MVP continues to make history 🃏 pic.twitter.com/Yb61oEp7OA
— NBA (@NBA) April 14, 2026

Being in the same conversation as legends like Bird and Russell is certainly nothing to scoff at, as Jokic continued to cement himself as one of the greats right in front of our eyes.

Of course, Jokic actually loses the MVP race in the two seasons he averages a triple-double. Still, he has certainly done enough to be recognized for his achievements, even without taking home the MVP award every year.

Can he keep it up?

Jokic has already done the unthinkable by joining Bird and Russell, but can he actually surpass them? If Jokic finishes in the top two of MVP voting next season, he will be in a tier of his own, but it will likely be his hardest year yet to do so.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic — Jan 4, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) and Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) battle for position during an inbound pass in the second half at Frost Bank Center. | Scott Wachter-Imagn Images

There is minimal doubt that Jokic can still put insane numbers next season and lead the Nuggets to a top-four seed in the Western Conference, but his competition in the MVP race will certainly get tougher. Not only could Gilgeous-Alexander win his third straight, but San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is taking the league by storm and could surpass both of them next season.

Not to mention, other competitors like Luka Doncic, Cade Cunningham, and Jayson Tatum could be due for a top-two MVP finish, all making it tougher for Jokic to earn his seventh straight.

Granted, if the second half of the 2025-26 season is any indication, Jokic simply might not be as dominant anymore. In 33 appearances after his extended injury absence, Jokic averaged 25.8 points, 13.5 rebounds, 10.5 assists, and 3.9 turnovers per game with 53.3/31.9/81.0 shooting splits. His 31.9% shooting from beyond the arc was especially concerning, and it only got worse in the playoffs, when he shot 19.4%.

Of course, we can assume he was not at 100% after returning from his injury, and a full offseason to recover should put him back on track to return to his MVP form. It will take another dominant season to earn a top-two MVP finish with tough competition around the league, but he should still be able to compete with the best.

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