BREAKING NEWS: NBA Awards Finalized as New MVP Contender Emerges to Challenge Nikola Jokic — A Shift in the MVP Race That Has Fans Talking .giang

The 2024-25 NBA season is just around the corner, with Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the Boston Celtics set to begin their title defense.

And while every team in the NBA will be looking to take down the Celtics and their dynamic duo, players from across the league will be eyeing their awards. Of note is Luka Doncic, who will look to win his first NBA Most Valuable Player award after years of being included in the conversation but has yet to nab the prestigious award, especially after leading the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals last season.

Meanwhile, San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama will look to improve upon his historic rookie season by proving to the league he is the most dominant young force. Here are the picks to win the NBA’s most prestigious awards in the 2024-25 season…

• Victor Wembanyama collects Rookie of the Year award but has far more to say
• Luka Doncic gets nod over Steph Curry in key 2024 NBA GM survey category

MVP: Luka Doncic

Since his sophomore season, Doncic has been a constant pick for the MVP award, finishing in the top 10 every year since the 2019-20 season. He achieved his best finish in MVP voting, finishing third behind Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic, respectively.

After having flirted with a triple-double for the entirety of last season – averaging 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds to go along with 1.4 steals – Doncic has an opportunity to break through the 10 assists per game mark with Klay Thompson’s addition, giving the 25-year-old more space to operate. Also, the added space could see Doncic’s percentages eclipse 50 percent and 40 percent from the field and 3-point line, respectively, and if the Mavericks star can accumulate a split of 30-10-9 on those shooting percentages, voters would be hard-pressed to find a more deserving candidate.

Rookie of the Year: Reed Sheppard

Reed Sheppard realistically could win the Rookie of the Year award ahead of Zaccharie Risacher and Alex Sarr, the two players drafted ahead of him. Compared to the rest of the lottery picks, Sheppard showed a polish unlike his competitors, finishing the Las Vegas Summer League averaging 20.0 points, 5.3 assists and 4.8 rebounds per game.

If the former Kentucky star can carve out a spot in Ime Udoka’s playoff-seeking Houston Rockets squad, Sheppard has the tools to build a sturdy Rookie of the Year case. Unless Risacher, Sarr or another rookie confidently outplays Sheppard, the award is his to lose.

Defensive Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

In his rookie season with the Spurs, Wembanyama led the league in blocks per game at 3.6, block percentage (70.8) and is tied for the sixth-best differential (-4.3) when it comes to defended field goal attempts and the percentage. Simply put, defended field goal percentage is how well a player shoots when another player is within three feet of them and for this instance, players shot 4.3 percentage points worse when around Wembanyama.

The French sensation also boasts an 8-foot wingspan, making steals, tipped passes, and deflections easier to come by for the 7-foot-4 star. If the Spurs can put a solid defensive unit around Wembanyama, their ceiling increases mightily and it could pay dividends at the end of the season, provided the 20-year-old can remain healthy the entire season.

Sixth Man of the Year: Russell Westbrook

Continuing a new chapter of his career, Russell Westbrook could re-invent himself to be a super substitute, akin to legends like Jason Terry and Manu Ginobili. While those two converted their shots at a much higher clip than Westbrook, what the 35-year-old has to compensate is his immense drive and motor whenever he is on the court.

In the previous two seasons in which he was primarily coming off the bench, Westbrook averaged 13.6 points, 6.1 assists and 5.4 rebounds in just 25.9 minutes per game. If Westbrook can learn to be effective within Michael Malone’s system while also limiting his mental mistakes, it’s entirely possible to see the former MVP add another trophy to his collection by posting similar stats and averaging close to 50 percent from the field and 35 percent from beyond the arc.

Most Improved Player of the Year: Victor Wembanyama

In the 2023-24 season, Wembanyama averaged 21.4 points, 10.6 rebounds, 3.9 assists, a league-leading 3.6 blocks and 1.2 steals per game shooting 46.5 percent from the field and 32.5 percent from the 3-point line en route to winning the Rookie of the Year award. More impressively, Wembanyama was impactful in only 29.7 minutes per game.

Extrapolated to 36 minutes, the French phenom would have averaged 26.0 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 4.3 blocks and 1.5 steals, scratching the surface of what he can accomplish. If he heeds the teachings of veterans Chris Paul and Harrison Barnes along with the knowledge of having a year under his belt, Wembanyama could redefine what it means to be a superstar, given the right opportunities.

Coach of the Year: JJ Redick

From a pundit to a coach on the sideline, JJ Redick has had a very eventful summer. Hired by the Los Angeles Lakers after the organization fired Darvin Ham, Redick has the unenviable job of maximizing the talent around an aging LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

And while the 40-year-old is a rookie head coach, the concepts he’s instilled with the Lakers in the early going have proven to be effective, with the team showing more movement and vitality on offense compared to his predecessor.

If Redick can coach Los Angeles to 50 or more wins this season and a top-four seed in the Western Conference, he could be on the shortlist for Coach of the Year.