Jokic beats Embiid, Curry for NBA's MVP award

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic has been voted the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the 2020-21 campaign, the league announced Tuesday.

Jokic beat out fellow finalists Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the winner of the previous two MVP trophies, placed fourth, while Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul came fifth.

The 26-year-old Jokic played all 72 games for Denver this season, pushing the team to a 47-25 (.653) record and the Western Conference's third seed.

In 35.6 minutes per appearance, Jokic averaged a career-best 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals. He also shot 60.6% on 2-pointers, 38.8% on threes, and 56.6% overall.

Jokic, who was selected No. 41 in 2014, is the lowest draft pick to be voted the NBA's MVP. The Serbian is also the fifth international player to capture the award, following Nigeria's Hakeem Olajuwon (1993-94), Canada's Steve Nash (2004-05; 2005-06), Germany's Dirk Nowitzki (2006-07), and Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo (2018-19; 2019-20).