The NBA announced that Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic is this season’s KIA Most Valuable Player.
Jokic becomes the first MVP for the franchise. He is also the lowest draft pick ever to win the honor. Seven years ago, Jokic was drafted in the 2nd round at number 41.
Jokic is the first player drafted in the second round to win MVP in the common draft era 🃏 pic.twitter.com/DH89uF54FT
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 8, 2021
He is the sixth international player to win the award. Jokic is from Serbia.
Nikola told TNT’s Inside The NBA, “To be honest, I didn’t even think about being in the NBA. My goal when I started to play basketball back home was to play in the Euroleague because that was the closest top league to my country. I could play in some big clubs in Serbia and grind my way up. But then the Denver Nuggets drafted me, and it was an opportunity for me to become an NBA player.”
Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid finished second in MVP voting. Steph Curry, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Chris Paul round out the top five.