The NBA has officially handed out ballots for the 2024-25 awards. This is my ninth year voting, and some of these choices are harder than ever. Others are no-brainers. From MVP to All-Rookie to Most Improved, here’s my full ballot and the thinking behind the toughest decisions.
Most Valuable Player
1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
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2. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics
5. LeBron James, Lakers
This was an excruciating choice. On one hand, you’ve got Jokić having yet another all-time season: 29.6 points, 12.7 boards, 10.2 assists. Jokić was only more efficient during the 2022-23 season, but that year he took 4.7 fewer shots per game. Without a doubt, this was one of the greatest offensive seasons ever because he somehow added even more variety to an already absurd arsenal.
Jokić is still used all over the court, whether he’s posting up, handling the ball himself on the perimeter, or receiving the ball off a screen like a smaller guard would. But this season he made 41.7% of his 4.7 shots from 3 per game, both career-highs. It was all there. He has no weaknesses on offense.
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But he wasn’t the same defender he’s been in the past. His effort and engagement slipped. It’s understandable given the offensive load, but notable when the Nuggets ended with a bottom 10 defensive rating. And as the centerpiece of that defense, some of that lands on him.
Still, Jokić dragged that team to 50 wins. Jamal Murray had a down year. Aaron Gordon missed 31 games. The front office was imploding. It could’ve gone off the rails. But Jokić stabilized everything. And in almost any season, he would’ve been the easiest choice ever for MVP.
But Gilgeous-Alexander was the best player on by far the best team, averaging 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, five boards, 1.7 steals, and a block. Only three players in NBA history have averaged over 32 points, five assists, 60% true shooting, and over two stocks (steals + blocks) per game in a season: Michael Jordan did it three times, James Harden did it twice … and now SGA.
None of those other seasons by Jordan or Harden came close to 68 wins though. And SGA has led OKC despite Chet Holmgren missing 50 games and Isaiah Hartenstein missing 25 games. In the 1,112 minutes SGA played without either of them, the Thunder were still a plus-18.9. Add in the minutes that their second-best player Jalen Williams was also on the bench, the Thunder still were a plus-26.7 as long as SGA was on the floor. OKC had the greatest point differential in NBA history because of SGA.
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And yes, the Thunder have better depth than the Nuggets. But SGA was the engine of the offense, and he was in no way a weak link to their top-rated defense. He was active, disruptive, communicative, setting a defensive tone as the team’s best player.
So it came down to this: A generational center carrying a flawed, drama-laden team to 50 wins vs. the best two-way player on a 68-win team. Two ironclad cases, but my vote went to Gilgeous-Alexander.
All-NBA Teams
First Team
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Jayson Tatum, Celtics
LeBron James, Lakers
Second Team
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers
Cade Cunningham, Pistons
Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Anthony Edwards, Wolves
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Third Team
Steph Curry, Warriors
Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks
Jalen Williams, Thunder
Ivica Zubac, Clippers
James Harden, Clippers
Defensive Player of the Year
1. Amen Thompson, Rockets
2. Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
3. Lu Dort, Thunder
Thompson took on the league’s best scorers, blew up their plays, and helped elevate Houston into a top-five defense.
Thompson averaged 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks per game, and zoomed in closer: When Amen was the nearest defender, opponents shot 9.7% worse within six feet, 9.5% worse within 10 feet, and 5.5% worse beyond 15 feet, per NBA tracking data.
These are some of the highest marks in the league across positions because of his incredible intangibles and versatility. He has some of the quickest hands in the NBA, and would often be a one-man fastbreak stopper by knocking the ball off an opponent rumbling down the floor. He’d jump passes like a free safety off-ball or fly out of nowhere for blocks.
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And he was one of the NBA’s most disruptive players on-ball. He almost always guarded the opposing team’s best player, grading out in the 94th percentile in defensive matchup difficulty, per Bball Index. And he displayed versatility when doing it. He’d check guards like Ja Morant, Donovan Mitchell, and even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And bigger wings like Anthony Edwards, Luka Dončić, and LeBron James. And he even held his own on switches against bigs like Evan Mobley and Naz Reid.
Mobley and Dort are elite defenders in their own right, but Amen often looked like the most impactful defender on the floor. Especially in head-to-heads. Watch that Rockets-Thunder game again when he contained Gilgeous-Alexander. Or Houston vs. Golden State when he shut down Curry. Second-year player or not, Amen was the best defender in basketball.
All-Defensive Teams
First Team
Amen Thompson, Rockets
Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
Lu Dort, Thunder
Jalen Williams, Thunder
Dyson Daniels, Hawks
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Second Team
Draymond Green, Warriors
Toumani Camara, Blazers
Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
Ivica Zubac, Clippers
OG Anunoby, Knicks
Draymond might end up winning Defensive Player of the Year, but he only made All-D second team on my ballot. Why? From Feb. 8 onward, over the course of 31 games, Draymond certainly played at a DPOY level. Opponents shot 9% worse than expected within six feet and 9.6% worse within 10 feet when Draymond was the nearest defender. He blew up pick-and-rolls, barked out coverages, and anchored Golden State’s defense just like he has for over a decade.
The Jimmy Butler acquisition lit a fire underneath him that showed he can still play at an elite level. But he also got roasted in a must-win game against the Spurs, and he couldn’t get the stops he needed to in the season finale against the Clippers. These downers more resembled his first 37 games of the season when he was inconsistent. Prior to Butler’s arrival, opponents shot 5.6% worse than expected on shots he was the nearest defender for, which is a good not great number. Golden State’s defense was also only 1.4 points per 100 possessions better than the league average at that time.
Green is deserving of All-Defensive team honors. But Defensive Player of the Year shouldn’t be a lifetime achievement award.
Rookie of the Year
1. Stephon Castle, Spurs
2. Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
3. Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
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Risacher closed the gap hard to close the season: He finished with 12.7 points per game, 35.5% from 3, filled gaps as a smart cutter, and played strong defense for a rookie forward. And after Jan. 30, he hit 42.4% from deep, which was a scorching stretch that flipped the narrative on his jumper after a rocky start. As a No. 1 pick, he may lack traditional upside, but played a polished style and still managed to have some big scoring nights.
But Castle did enough to win it. Castle wasn’t as efficient a scorer (52.1% true shooting, and just 28.3% from 3) but the gap wasn’t dramatic (Risacher posted 55.7% true shooting). Castle made up for it by relentlessly attacking the rim, finishing well and drawing a ton of fouls. Castle tripled both Risacher’s drawn fouls and rate of unassisted makes at the rim.
Whereas Risacher floated off-ball, Castle forced his way into the teeth of the defense. Castle ran nearly 600 pick-and-rolls and logged 150 isolation possessions, per Synergy. Risacher: Just 83 pick-and-rolls and 13 isolations all season. Castle had 34 games with at least five assists. Risacher had zero.
Then there’s the defense. Both were excellent, especially by rookie standards. But matchup data tells the real story.
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Against the Bucks? Risacher guarded Kyle Kuzma. Castle took Damian Lillard.
Against the Warriors? Risacher got Moses Moody. Castle got Steph Curry.
Against Memphis? Risacher was on Vince Williams. Castle was on Ja Morant.
You can go game by game and see the pattern, and the data backs it up: Bball Index graded Risacher in the 49th percentile in matchup difficulty. Castle was in the 97th. Risacher was great in his role, but Castle thrived with far more on his plate.
Here’s the remainder of my ballot:
All-Rookie Teams
First Team
Stephon Castle, Spurs
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
Zach Edey, Grizzlies
Kel’el Ware, Heat
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Second Team
Alex Sarr, Wizards
Donovan Clingan, Blazers
Yves Missi, Pelicans
Matas Buzelis, Bulls
Kyle Filipowski, Jazz
Sixth Man of the Year
1. Payton Pritchard, Celtics
2. Malik Beasley, Pistons
3. Ty Jerome, Cavaliers
Coach of the Year
1. Kenny Atkinson, Cavaliers
2. Ty Lue, Clippers
3. Ime Udoka, Rockets
Most Improved Player of the Year
1. Cade Cunningham, Pistons
2. Dyson Daniels, Hawks
3. Christian Braun, Nuggets
Clutch Player of the Year
1. Jalen Brunson, Knicks
2. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
3. Darius Garland, Cavaliers
I spoke more about all of these selections on last Friday’s episode of The Kevin O’Connor Show, which you can find wherever you get your podcasts.
#NBA #Awards #Ballot #Shai #GilgeousAlexander #MVP #Cade #Cunningham #Improved
