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NBA announces finalists for season-long awards, including Nikola Jokić for MVP, Victor Wembanyama for ROY

The NBA announced the finalists for its seven season-long individual awards Sunday, featuring Nikola Jokić nominated for his third MVP trophy in four seasons.

The league also announced the finalists in the Rookie of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year, Most Improved Player, Coach of the Year and Clutch Player of the Year races.

Jokić won consecutive MVP awards in 2021 and 2022 before a second-place finish to Joel Embiid last season. He ended the 2022-23 season instead with his first NBA championship and Finals MVP. Now he's the favorite to win his third MVP trophy, which would further cement his legacy among the game's all-time greats.

If he prevails, Jokić would become the ninth player in league history to secure three or more MVP awards, joining Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Moses Malone, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and LeBron James.

The awards this season will be the first under a new set of rules requiring players to play a minimum of 65 games to be eligible, meaning Embiid (39 games) was ruled out for his second MVP long before the season was over.

San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama is a finalist for two awards — Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year.

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was also nominated for two awards as a finalist for MVP and Clutch Player of the Year.

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MVP finalists

Nikola Jokić, center, Denver Nuggets
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guard, Oklahoma City Thunder
Luka Dončić, guard, Dallas Mavericks

Rookie of the Year

Victor Wembanyama, center, San Antonio Spurs
Chet Holmgren, center, Oklahoma City Thunder
Brandon Miller, forward, Charlotte Hornets

Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama are favorites to win MVP and Rookie of the Year, respectively. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)
Nikola Jokić and Victor Wembanyama are favorites to win MVP and Rookie of the Year, respectively. (AAron Ontiveroz/The Denver Post)

Defensive Player of the Year

Rudy Gobert, center, Minnesota Timberwolves
Victor Wembanyama, center, San Antonio Spurs
Bam Adebayo, center, Miami Heat

Sixth Man of the Year

Malik Monk, guard, Sacramento Kings
Naz Reid, center, Minnesota Timberwolves
Bobby Portis, forward, Milwaukee Bucks

Most Improved Player

Tyrese Maxey, guard, Philadelphia 76ers
Alperen Şengün, center, Houston Rockets
Coby White, guard, Chicago Bulls

Coach of the Year

Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves
Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic

Clutch Player of the Year

Stephen Curry, guard, Golden State Warriors
DeMar DeRozan, forward, Chicago Bulls
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, guard, Oklahoma City Thunder