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Nikola Jokic is no longer the choice of Michael Malone for the Kia NBA Most Valuable Player award.
“Shai Gilgeous-Alexander demonstrated why he’s deserving of MVP,” Malone stated during his appearance on ESPN’s postgame analysis following Game 1 between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Minnesota Timberwolves.
In April, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo were announced as finalists for the season’s MVP award. Before his dismissal from the Denver Nuggets, Malone, aged 53, was championing the Serbian superstar, who was then the standout player on his team. Since transitioning from head coach to a role in broadcasting, he now advocates that the 26-year-old Canadian guard is worthy of the honor.
From 2015 to 2025, Malone served as the head coach for the Nuggets, achieving the significant milestone of winning the NBA championship in 2023, with Jokic being awarded Finals MVP. Over the past six years, he guided the Nuggets to the playoffs and was on track for a seventh consecutive postseason appearance before his firing with three games left in the 2024-25 regular season.
His previous team made it to the Western Conference Semifinals in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, sponsored by Google, before being ousted by the Thunder in a hard-fought seven-game series.
On Tuesday, Gilgeous-Alexander made a significant impact, scoring 20 of his 31 points in the second half, leading the Thunder to a 1-0 advantage over the Wolves in the Western Conference Finals.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven series will take place on Thursday at Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center.
