LOS ANGELES — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been named finalists for the 2025 NBA Most Valuable Player award, the league announced Saturday.
Jokic, who won his third MVP last season, posted another dominant year, averaging a triple-double with 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game.
The Serbian center is just the third player in NBA history to average a triple-double.
Canadian star Gilgeous-Alexander led the league in scoring with 32.7 points per game while shooting nearly 52% from the field. He guided the Oklahoma City Thunder to a league-best 68 wins and a record scoring margin.
He was runner-up to Jokic last season and is once again a strong contender.
Antetokounmpo, the 2019 and 2020 MVP, also had an impressive season with 30.4 points and 11.9 rebounds per game for Milwaukee.
Jokic, already a three-time MVP (2021, 2022, 2024), could join LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain as a four-time MVP winner. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the record with six MVP awards.
This marks the fourth consecutive year that all MVP finalists were born outside the United States. The last American to win the award was James Harden in 2018.
The NBA will reveal the winners of its seven major regular-season awards in the coming weeks.
For Rookie of the Year, the finalists are Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks), Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs), and Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies). Risacher, the top overall pick, is aiming to follow French compatriot Victor Wembanyama, who won the honor last year.