AP – Denver’s Nikola Jokic now knows how Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid felt during two previous NBA award seasons.
Second in the most valuable player (MVP) race – but only second-team All-NBA.
Embiid – the newly crowned MVP – headlined the All-NBA team unveiled on Wednesday night.
He was the first-team centre, while Jokic was the second-team pick at that position. It was a reversal of the results from 2021 and 2022, when Jokic was MVP over Embiid, who then had to settle for the second-team All-NBA centre spot.
And this should be the final time such a quirk happens. Starting next year, the All-NBA team will no longer be broken down by position – meaning the presumed second-best player in the NBA one season, such as Embiid in 2021 and 2022 and Jokic now, will not have to be relegated to second-team anything.
Joining Embiid on the first team were Boston’s Jayson Tatum and Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo at forward, and Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander at guard.
On the second team along with Jokic were Miami’s Jimmy Butler and Boston’s Jaylen Brown at forward, and Golden State’s Stephen Curry and Cleveland’s Donovan Mitchell at guard.
The third team centre was Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis, with the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James – now a 19-time selection, extending his record – and New York’s Julius Randle getting the forward spots and Sacramento’s De’Aaron Fox and Portland’s Damian Lillard the guard selections.
