With the NBA regular season concluding, one of the biggest discussions coming up in the NBA world is the awards and who is going to win them.  The biggest of those awards is the MVP. This year, there is  no clear frontrunner with many people having amazing seasons. The five players this year that have a chance are Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokunmpo, Ja Morant, and Luka Doncic. 

*All stats are accurate as of 4/21*

NIkola Jokic

One of  the favorites for MVP, NIkola Jokic, is looking to win the MVP for a second straight year. Averaging 27.1 points per game (PPG) 13.8  rebounds per game (RPG) and 7.9 assists per game (APG), his stats definitely look like MVP stats. One of the best playmaking big men the NBA has ever seen, he is very close to averaging a triple double, something only Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson have ever done. The one thing that could keep him from winning though, is the Nuggets are the sixth seed in the West standings. Most MVPs usually are on teams that are a top four seed. If the voters can look past the record, Jokic should be in good shape to win.

Joel Embiid

Another center having an amazing year, Joel Embiid is looking to be the first 76er to win MVP since Allen Iverson in 2000. Averaging 30.6  PPG, 11.7 RPG and 1.5 blocks per game (BPG), Embiid is having a more traditional, but still dominant, season for a big man. Embiid also is on one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference, which could get him a slight edge over Jokic. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo

A former 2x MVP, Giannis Antetokunmpo, is looking to regain his crown. He is having a season that could get him right back to the top. Averaging 29.9 PPG, 11.6 RPG, and 5.8 APG, Antetokounmpo’s size, athleticism, and playmaking has never been seen before. Coming off a year where Antetokounmpo won the NBA Finals, winning the MVP this year would be the cherry on top.

Ja Morant

The frontrunner for the Most Improved Player (MIP), Morant is still having a MVP-caliber season at only 22 years old. Averaging 27.4 PPG 6.7 APG and 5.7 RPG, Morant has been a major reason the Grizzlies have made such a big jump from last season. The Grizzlies are near the top of the West. Ja Morant has quickly become a fan favorite around the league because of his athleticism and style of play. Even if he doesn’t win the award this season, he definitely is on the right track to win one in the future.

Luka Doncic

One of the best young players in the league, Doncic is looking to win his first MVP. Averaging 28.4 PPG, 9.1 RPG, and 8.7 APG, Doncic is also very close to averaging a triple double. Ever since coming into the league in 2018, Doncic has gotten better and better and is certainly looking like he will be a face of the NBA for years to come. The major thing holding back his chance though, is the Mavericks record. The Mavericks are the fourth seed in the West, something that  would kill MVP chances for the players.

With one of the closest MVP races seen in a long time, any one of these five players could win as well as many others. NIkola Jokic and Joel Embiid look like the two favorites but anything could happen with the MVP voters.