Doncic, Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander are up for the NBA's MVP award; Wembanyama is the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year

After weeks of speculation about who would be nominated for Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the regular season, the NBA announced the names of the finalists who are competing for this prestigious award: Slovenian Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Serbian Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder). One of the three will succeed last year's MVP Joel Embiid (Philadelphia 76ers).

This is the sixth consecutive year that the award will be given to a player born outside of the United States. In the last five seasons, the award went to Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece, 2019 and 2020) and Jokic (Serbia, 2021 and 2022). Jokic could take home his third MVP award this year, something that has only been done by Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell and Moses Malone- and Cameroonian Embiid (2023).

Other great candidates were not nominated, such as Jayson Tatum, who led the Boston Celtics to dominate the Eastern Conference, and Antetokounmpo.

Wembanyama, Holmgren and Miller are finalists for Rookie of the Year

In the last draft, Victor Wembanyama was designated as the number one pick. The San Antonio Spurs took a chance on this young player from France and it paid off. He had a great first season and is not only nominated for Rookie of the Year, he is this year's favorite to win.

He is up against Chet Holmgren, Western Conference champion with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Brandon Miller, from the Charlotte Hornets.

Coach of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year,...

The NBA announced the finalists for the seven end-of-the-season awards: Below is the complete list:

- Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic (Dallas Mavericks), Nikola Jokic (Denver Nuggets) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder).

- Rookie of the Year: Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs), Chet Holmgren (Oklahoma City Thunder) and Brandon Miller (Charlotte Hornets).

- Coach of the Year: Mark Daigneault (Oklahoma City Thunder), Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Jamahl Mosley (Orlando Magic).

- Clutch Player of the Year: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors), DeMar DeRozan (Chicago Bulls) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City Thunder).

- Sixth Man of the Year: Malik Monk (Sacramento Kings), Bobby Portis (Milwaukee Bucks) and Naz Reid (Minnesota Timberwolves).

- Most Improved Player: Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), Alperen Sengun (Houston Rockets) and Coby White (Chicago Bulls).

- Defensive Player of the Year: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat), Rudy Gobert (Minnesota Timberwolves) and Victor Wembanyama (San Antonio Spurs).