Nikola Jokić Voted 2024-25 NBA MVP over SGA, Giannis, Tatum, More in ESPN Straw Poll

Early returns show that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is once again the front-runner to claim NBA MVP honors.

Tim Bontemps revealed Friday that a straw poll conducted by ESPN has Jokić as the current favorite for the award, with Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo running in second and third, respectively.

If these results hold following the season, Jokić would claim his second consecutive MVP and his fourth in the last five seasons.

Jokić is averaging 31.0 points, 13.0 rebounds and 9.8 assists across 22 games for the Nuggets so far this season while shooting 56.4 percent from the field and playing a whopping 37.2 minutes per night.

While Gilgeous-Alexander and Antetokounmpo are producing at robust rates, Jokić's dominance all over the court makes it hard to pull a vote away from him. If he were to finish the season with his current numbers, he would exceed his career high in points, match his career high in assists and be close to his career high on the boards (13.8).

Denver is currently 14-11 and in sixth place in the Western Conference. Alexander's Thunder are 21-5, which could certainly boost his case, but Denver should still qualify for the playoffs and that likely wouldn't be possible without Jokić running the show.