Jokic wins back-to-back MVP awards

LOS ANGELES • Nikola Jokic was named the National Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player on Wednesday for the second consecutive season.

The Denver Nuggets centre became the 13th player to win back-to-back MVPs after receiving 65 first-place votes and 875 points to see off Philadelphia 76ers' Cameroonian centre Joel Embiid (26 first-place votes, 706 points).

The Milwaukee Bucks' Greek forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (nine, 595), the reigning Finals MVP, was third.

Following the Nuggets' elimination by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of their Western Conference match-up last month, Jokic returned home to his native Serbia for an extended holiday.

The 27-year-old was out horse riding when the award was announced and he was greeted by family and friends with the news at a stable.

Jokic averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, 7.9 assists and 1.47 steals in 74 games this season.

His season statistics, which included 0.85 blocked shots per game, were career highs in every category except assists. He also led the NBA with 19 triple-doubles and became the first player in league history to record at least 2,000 points, 1,000 rebounds and 500 assists in a term.

"I don't know what else you can say about Nikola at this point," Denver coach Michael Malone said. "He's consistently improved his game, he's consistently proven people wrong when they doubt him...He's consistently the best player on the floor, night in and night out."

Jokic joins Antetokounmpo, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Wilt Chamberlain, Stephen Curry, Tim Duncan, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Moses Malone, Steve Nash and Bill Russell as the only players to win consecutive MVPs.

On being part of esteemed company alongside Hall of Famers, he said: "Right now, I don't think about it. But when I'm old, fat and grumpy, hopefully, I'm going to remember and tell my kids that back in the day I was pretty good at playing basketball.

"Everybody knows I'm the same guy, so hopefully I'm going to stay the same after this. Just to be in that company of Wilt and all the guys that made history in this league and this sport. That tells a lot and means a lot to have a legacy like that."

The Nuggets are expected to offer Jokic a five-year, US$254 million (S$354.2 million) supermax contract extension this summer, according to The Athletic. That would be the largest contract in NBA history.

Phoenix Suns guard Devin Booker and Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic of Slovenia rounded out the top five. It marked the first time that both the top three and four of the top five finishers in voting were international players.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS