The NBA season is coming up, and it’s looking to be one of the best seasons with the most talented players getting better, new rookies coming in stronger, and new stars emerging. So this season begs the question, “Who will win what and why?”
Today, I will answer those questions on who I think will win what awards and why. With this season looking to be the best and most entertaining, which players will prove themself, and which players will crumble under the pressure?
Rookie of the Year – Cooper Flagg
He’s one of the most versatile players in the draft and arguably put in the best situation. The Dallas Mavericks lineup was in DIRE need of a new small forward. Now they have an excellent scorer, passer, finisher, and playmaker. The only weakness in his game is his ball handling. But the average small forward doesn’t need the best handles. Especially when he has the best ball handler of all time on his team, Kyrie Irving.
Defensive Player of the Year – Dyson Daniels
This Atlanta Hawks Shooting Guard specializes in the art of stealing. Averaging 3 steals a game and defending top-tier players like a 5-star lawyer, Dyson Daniels became the centerpiece of defense on his team and one of the best in the league. Many people had opinions as to why he didn’t win DPOY last year. The reason is that overall, he is a great defender and top 3 in the league, but his team is ranked very close to last. The winner, Evan Mobley, had a higher-rated defense and averaged more blocks per game. But mainly, Mobley’s team won more games. The NBA seems to show bias in these awards. Whether the player is more popular or if their team is better, the bias shows through. But I think Dyson will win because when the Hawks emerge this season, they will be an underdog and underrated by many people this year. And his defense will be the headliner of the show.
6th Man of The Year – Payton Pritchard
He won it this year, and I think he could win it again. He is on one of the best teams in the league and has a jump shot similar to Steph Curry. He has an average of making just over 3 three pointers a game. He has also gained the nickname “Half Court Specialist” from being able to hit shots from the logo and walk it off like it was nothing. His stats and role on the court stand out among his other competitors. While he does have some people who doubt him, it is just a simple fact that he is better than his other 6MOTY competitors.
MIP (Most Improved Player) – Jalen Williams
Some people plead their case, saying he should’ve won this year. I disagree with that, but I do think he will win this year. Allow me to explain. He averaged an astonishing 21 points per game along with 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game. He was a key player and one of the main reasons why the Oklahoma City Thunder won the championship. Now I think this is going to be similar to Tyrese Maxey’s MIP. Maxey was already a key player, but he gets better on both sides of the court and becomes the second (If not first) best player on his team. Now I disagree with anyone who says that Jalen is better than Shai (Yes, I’ve heard people say that). I don’t think that Jalen will be better than Shai, now or ever. But what I do think is that he has the potential to be an All-Star throughout his career. I think that if he were on any other team, he could average 27-28 points per game. With just a few more touches a game, he could become an absolute MONSTER on the court. From 21 to 26 points per game with 1 or 2 more rebounds a game could be enough for him to leave the ceremony with the MIP award.
=MVP – Nikola Jokic
Jokic is one of the best players of the 2020s. He has won 3 NBA MVP Awards since the 2021 NBA season. He is a MONSTER on the offensive side of the ball. He just came off his best season yet. Well, it may be a misconception that he has been averaging a triple-double for years; this past season was the first time he has. And he put up his highest points per game average than he ever has. Unfortunately, even though it was his best, he lost the MVP to SGA. While I do think this could be a tight battle between Giannis and Jokic, I don’t think Shai will be in the conversation. And if Jokic keeps up the pace and wins another MVP, he would solidify himself as the best player of the 2020s.
HOT TAKE INCOMING: And if his team wins the championship and he earns a finals MVP, then I think he can become a top 10 player of all time.
While the league might be biased in some ways, the player who wins (most of the time) deserves the award they have earned. There is no doubt in my mind that any of these players will be anything less than elite. Whether they are putting points on the board like a madman or blocking shots like toxic exes, all of these players will be dominant on the offensive or defensive sides of the court. And I am excited to see what happens this season.
