A 4th MVP would forever change Jokic's legacy (and why there's already pushback)

3-time league MVP Nikola Jokic has had to carry the Denver Nuggets more than in years past but will he be rewarded for his historic play this season? Three-time league MVP Nikola Jokic has had to carry the Denver Nuggets more than in years past after a slow start.

Having a three-time league MVP step their game up to make up for his team's shortcomings is both impressive to watch and a bit concerning for the Nuggets. Through 10 games, Jokic is averaging a stellar 29.7 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 11.7 assists while shooting 56.3% from the field. However, the Nuggets are 6-4 and fourth in the Western Conference.

His helping keep the Nuggets afloat while they work through their problems will allow them to keep pace, which is a luxury that not every star on other contenders has been able to do. For instance, the Milwaukee Bucks have stumbled out of the gate, going 4-9 and digging themselves into an early hole, even with stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

It is still early but Jokic's play led to obvious questions about whether he can win his fourth MVP in five years and fifth overall, including winning the Finals MVP in 2023.

Can Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic win his fourth MVP this season?

After winning his third MVP last season, that put him in rare air, joining only eight players in NBA history to ever do so. If he were to win a fourth, then he would join only Michael Jordan, Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as four-time winners.

There was pushback last season at the thought that he would be joining such a select group of all-time greats. However, he deserved to win last season, even in 2022–23, when Joel Embiid narrowly beat him out to win MVP.

Jokic's biggest obstacle to winning another award is voter fatigue, with MVP voting being just as much about narrative as it is about player performance. Voters can get bored voting for the same player year after year, with Michael Jordan infamously losing out on winning two more MVPs to Charles Barkley and Karl Malone. They were deserving but Jordan was Jordan and Jokic is Jokic.

Even if players such as Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks or Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder were to win, Jokic's play is worthy of the award. It may ultimately come down to wins.

Overall, the Nuggets are seemingly not as good as in recent years. Jokic is also putting up even better numbers than in years past, so voters may reward him, but there is still plenty of basketball left to be played to determine who will win MVP.