So who else is there? Nikola Jokic won't win the Most Valuable Player trophy every year. Nonetheless, it's rather ironic that he didn't win the award last year when he quite simply had the best season of his career, and was the first player in history to finish in the top five of four statistical categories.
Third in points per game, fourth in rebounds per game, second in assists per game, and fourth in steals per game, the Joker is everywhere, all the time, and dominates anyone who stands in his way.
However, the downside is mainly collective: since their 2023 title, the Denver Nuggets have been eliminated twice in a row in Game 7 of the conference semi-finals.
Like others before him, he has not won more than one NBA title to date. There is still time, but winning the Larry O'Brien Trophy becomes more complicated with each passing year.
His team has solidified, regaining some semblance of depth, and his teammates remain solid players, but Denver is not much without him in the end.
We can't see his ceiling, not yet, and we imagine he'll do even more this season.
With a fourth MVP, he would enter a new club: that of the legends (as if he's not there already). A second title would cement his place as the world's best player. With both, it would be a perfect season.
The competition gets tougher every year, but the Joker is out in front, with one goal: to remain the best player in the world.
2024/2025 stats: 29.6 points per game, 12.7 rebounds per game, 10.2 assists per game, 1.8 steals per game
Target for 2025/2026: 32.0 points per game, 14.0 rebounds per game, 11.0 assists per game, Most Valuable Player candidate, NBA title