The NBA has officially distributed ballots for the 2024–25 regular season awards, and after nearly a decade of casting votes, I can 2025 NBA Awards Ballot say this year presented some of the most difficult decisions yet. While a few selections felt like no-brainers, others—like MVP—required deep analysis. Here’s my full NBA Awards ballot, paired with the reasoning behind the most challenging picks
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokić – Denver Nuggets
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
- Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
- LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
Choosing this year’s MVP was anything but simple. Nikola Jokić put together another legendary campaign, posting a staggering 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game in one of the most well-rounded seasons of his career. Offensively, this may have been his most complete year yet—he posted a career-high 41.7% from three-point range on 4.7 attempts per game, a level of volume and efficiency never before seen from him.
Jokić’s offensive game continues to defy convention. From orchestrating plays on the perimeter to executing the pick-and-roll or dominating in the post, he excels in every aspect of scoring—his offensive game is flawless. But defensively, he wasn’t as engaged as in years past. The Nuggets ended the season with a bottom-10 defensive rating, and as the defensive anchor, Jokić shoulders part of that responsibility. Given his enormous offensive workload, the drop-off is understandable—but still relevant in a tight MVP race.
Despite injuries to key players like Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, and internal instability within the front office, Jokić kept Denver steady. Amid injuries and internal challenges, Denver clawed its way to 50 wins in what was arguably one of the toughest and most competitive Western Conference campaigns in years. In nearly any other year, Jokić would’ve been the obvious MVP pick.
But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s season was nothing short of historic—and impossible to overlook.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Thunder to a league-best 68–14 record, averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game—all while maintaining elite efficiency. Throughout NBA history, just three players have managed to average over 32 points, at least five assists, a true shooting percentage above 60%, and more than two combined steals and blocks per game in a single season—Michael Jordan achieved that feat three times. James Harden (2x), and now SGA.
The NBA has officially distributed ballots for the 2024–25 regular season awards, and after nearly a decade of casting votes, I can confidently say this year presented some of the most difficult decisions yet. While a few selections felt like no-brainers, others—like MVP—required deep analysis. Here’s my full NBA Awards ballot, complete with insights into the toughest decisions I had to make.
Most Valuable Player (MVP)
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander – Oklahoma City Thunder
- Nikola Jokić – Denver Nuggets
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – Milwaukee Bucks
- Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
- LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers
Choosing this year’s MVP was anything but simple. Nikola Jokić turned in another masterclass of a season, putting up 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game—further cementing his place among the game’s all-time greats. Offensively, this may have been his most complete year yet—he posted a career-high 41.7% from three-point range on 4.7 attempts per game, a level of volume and efficiency never before seen from him.
Jokić’s offensive game continues to defy convention. Here’s my full NBA Awards ballot, paired with the reasoning behind the most challenging picks. But defensively, he wasn’t as engaged as in years past. The Nuggets ended the season with a bottom-10 defensive rating, and as the defensive anchor, Jokić shoulders part of that responsibility. Given his enormous offensive workload, the drop-off is understandable—but still relevant in a tight MVP race.
Despite injuries to key players like Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon, and internal instability within the front office, Jokić kept Denver steady. They secured 50 wins amid the relentless grind of a fiercely competitive Western Conference landscape. In nearly any other year, Jokić would’ve been the obvious MVP pick.
But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s season was too extraordinary to overlook—a true piece of history in motion.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander powered the Thunder to a league-best 68–14 record, averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, 5.0 rebounds, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game—all while maintaining elite efficiency. In the history of the NBA, just three players have ever posted a season averaging over 32 points, at least five assists, a true shooting percentage above 60%, and more than two combined steals and blocks per game—Michael Jordan did it three times. James Harden (2x), and now SGA.
What separates SGA’s campaign is that neither Jordan nor Harden achieved this level of statistical dominance while leading a 68-win team. And he did so with Chet Holmgren missing 50 games and Isaiah Hartenstein missing 25. In 1,112 minutes without either of them, OKC posted a +18.9 net rating. Even when Jalen Williams, the Thunder’s second-best player, was off the floor, the team maintained a staggering +26.7 net rating with SGA on the court.
SGA wasn’t just the driving force behind the NBA’s most efficient offense—he also played a critical role in the league’s No. 1-rated defense. He was active, disruptive, vocal, and set the tone defensively while carrying a historic offensive load. He wasn’t merely a prolific scorer—he was a dynamic two-way force, leading by example on both ends of the floor.
Final Verdict:
This MVP decision came down to two elite candidates:
- A transcendent center (Jokić) who carried an injury-plagued, flawed team to 50 wins,
- Versus a dominant two-way guard (SGA) who led a 68-win team with historic impact on both ends of the floor.
Both were worthy, but based on all-around value, team success, and defensive contribution, my MVP vote went to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
SGA wasn’t just the driving force behind the NBA’s most efficient offense—he also played a critical role in the league’s No. 1-rated defense. He was active, disruptive, vocal, and set the tone defensively while carrying a historic offensive load. He was more than just a scoring machine—he was a relentless two-way presence, influencing the game on both sides of the ball.
Final Verdict:
This MVP decision came down to two elite candidates:
- A transcendent center (Jokić) who carried an injury-plagued, flawed team to 50 wins,
- Versus a dominant two-way guard (SGA) who led a 68-win team with historic impact on both ends of the floor.
Both were worthy, but based on all-around value, team success, and defensive contribution, my MVP vote went to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
