NBA ’23-’24 Awards Finalists & Selections

April 22, 2024

Time to pick the winners of the annual NBA Awards. Naturally, I won’t select a Most Clutch Player, as it is a stupid award & I refuse to recognize it. Additionally, I will include my predictions doomed to fail from back in October. 

MVP

• Finalists
  1. Nikola Jokic (Favorite) (My Pick) – He undoubtedly deserves his 3rd, entrenching him in the conversation for a spot on the Top 20 All-Time List. Amazing 4-5 year run he’s on. If he manages to repeat and win a second championship, we need to begin speaking about Joker in a historical context. Is he a future Top 10 player ever?
  2. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
  3. Luka Doncic
• Initial Predictions
  1. Nikola Jokic
  2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
  3. Luka Doncic
  4. Honorable mentions: Anthony Davis, Steph Curry, Devin Booker, Jayson Tatum

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Rudy Gobert (Favorite) (My Pick) – Best defensive player on the league’s best defensive team. The rumors of his demise clearly immature, the French Rejection continues to be a One-Man Top 10 Defense, regardless of the cast around him. Though I believe AD deserves a mention here, the award is Gobert’s once again, his 4th. 
  2. Bam Adebayo
  3. Victor Wembanyama
• Initial Predictions
  1. Anthony Davis
  2. Rudy Gobert
  3. Bam Adebayo
  4. Honorable mentions: Alex Caruso, Jaren Jackson Jr., Draymond Green, Evan Mobley

COACH OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Mark Daigneault (Favorite)
  2. Chris Finch (My Pick) – I think Finch deserves it over Daigneault, though certainly neither would be a poor choice. The reason I pick Finch here is simply that the pressure on him was far greater than on Daigneault. Figuring out the Gobert-Towns pairing, allowing Edwards to take that next step, surviving Towns’ injury, building the NBA’s best defense – incredible job by Finch.
  3. Jamahl Mosley
• Initial Predictions
  1. Chris Finch
  2. Taylor Jenkins
  3. Eric Spoelstra
  4. Honorable mentions: Darvin Ham, Steve Kerr, Mark Daigneault, Ty Lue

MOST IMPROVED PLAYER OF THE YEAR (aka MOST PLEASANT SURPRISE)

• Finalists
  1. Tyrese Maxey (Favorite)
  2. Coby White (My Pick) – Even for the biggest Sub-Zero supporters, few could have seen this Coby White season coming. Before the season started, there was discussion of him coming off the bench behind Javon Carter! He far outplayed the contract he signed this summer, which was a 3 year deal around $12 million per year. Imagine how much he’d make if his free agency was this summer! He’d be making twice that number, easily.
  3. Alperen Sengun
• Initial Predictions
  1. Desmond Bane
  2. Tyrese Maxey
  3. Mikel Bridges
  4. Honorable mentions: Coby White, Austin Reeves, Jaden McDaniels, Devin Vassell, Trey Murphy, Alperen Sengun

6TH MAN OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Naz Reid (Favorite)
  2. Malik Monk
  3. Bobby Portis (My Pick) – Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. Portis has been in consideration here for years. Though I love Naz, and he played incredibly with KAT out, my pick goes to Bobby. The Bucks have had a wild ride of a season – new coach, injuries, controversies, etc. One of the few constants has been Portis off the bench. It’s time.
• Initial Predictions
  1. Bobby Portis
  2. Immanual Quickley
  3. Santi Aldama
  4. Honorable mentions: Malik Monk, Kyle Anderson, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Andrew Nembhard

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR

• Finalists
  1. Victor Wembanyama (Favorite) (My Pick) – Yes, I typically like to give this award to a rookie who’s contributed to a winning team. But sometimes a player’s numbers and performance are so head & shoulders above everyone else’s, you simply must reward them accordingly. And being that Wemby stands literally a head & shoulders above everyone else, he’s getting this prize. We’ve never seen a player like him. He’s changing the game right before our eyes. I’ve counted dozens of highlight reel plays he made this year that were unprecedented in bball history. Assuming he stays more or less healthy, he’ll likely win 5+ DPOY awards, plus at least 1 MVP. 
  2. Chet Holmgren
  3. Brandon Miller
• Initial Predictions
  1. Victor Wembanyama
  2. Brandon Miller
  3. Jaime Jacquez
  4. Honorable mentions: Amen Thompson, Scoot Henderson, Keyonte George