Victor Wembanyama and Nikola Jokic were unanimously chosen by our editors for Kia Rookie of the Year and Kia MVP, respectively.
Periodically, NBA.com editors will offer their thoughts on key storylines or hot topics around the league.
With the regular season just days away, list your picks for the 2023-24 NBA award winners.
Steve Aschburner
Voter fatigue? This seems more like a capitulation by the voters, once again recognizing Denver’s Nikola Jokic as the best player in the league. The eye test is numerous, but its on/off impact for the Nuggets is greater than during its two previous MVP seasons. Victor Wembanyama finally ran away with the ROY and before long his name will be on the awards immediately above and below him on our lists.
My closest call was Oklahoma City’s Mark Daigneault ahead of Minnesota’s Chris Finch in COY.
- MVP Kia = Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
Brian Martin
I have two players joining exclusive clubs with their final honors. Nikola Jokic surpasses Luka Doncic to become the seventh player to win three Kia MVP awards in four seasons. In doing so, Jokic joins Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and LeBron James as the only players to accomplish this feat.
Rudy Gobert holds off fellow Frenchman Victor Wembanyama to win his fourth Kia Defensive Player of the Year award, tying Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace for the most all-time. Wemby, however, may have something to say about Gobert trying to be the first five.
- MVP Kia = Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Monk Malik, Sacramento Kings
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
John Schumann
The top three awards listed below were relatively easy selections. Bogdanovic has the scoring numbers and the Hawks have been much better with him on the ground. Most Improved was the hardest choice, but Williams saw a big jump in the numbers by 36 and improved its efficiency.
Gilgeous-Alexander shot 57% in the clutchwith the Thunder 22-11 in the decisive games in which he played. Daigneault, meanwhile, has a top-six team at both ends of the floor with 41% of his minutes (the fourth highest rate in the league) coming from rookies or second-year players.
- MVP Kia = Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
Shaun Powell
Few choices for sleepless nights this season, although in the case of Joel Embiid (MVP) and Alperen Sengun (Most Improved), the new minimum of 65 games eligibility probably cost them some hardware and would have cost me a few Zs.
With a third MVP in four seasons, Jokic would crush the company of Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, Moses Malone and Michael Jordan for the greatest such stretch since the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. Gobert getting a fourth DPOY would mostly tie him with Dikembe Mutombo and Ben Wallace and punch him into the Hall of Fame.
And Curry needs the Clutch Award because really, what else has he done in his career?
- MVP Kia = Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year = Monk Malik, Sacramento Kings
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Coby White, Chicago Bulls
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- NBA Coach of the Year = Chris Finch, Minnesota Timberwolves
Michael C. Wright
The MVP seemed obvious, as Jokic looks set to land another one. Defensive Player of the Year, Clutch Player of the Year and NBA Coach of the Year were tougher. Gobert gets the nod from DPOY for now, but Wembanyama has a legitimate case as a rookie and could end up swaying my vote. Curry and DeMar DeRozan are neck and neck for Clutch. Chris Finch and Jamahl Mosely also deserve serious consideration for Coach of the Year.
- MVP Kia = Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
- Kia Rookie of the Year = Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
- Kia Defensive Player of the Year = Rudy Gobert, Minnesota Timberwolves
- Kia sixth man of the year =Malik Monk, Sacramento Kings
- Kia’s Most Improved Player = Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers
- Kia Clutch Player of the Year = Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors
- NBA Coach of the Year = Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder
