Former NBA player and ESPN broadcaster, Mark Jackson, has publicly apologized for omitting Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic from his MVP ballot for the 2022-23 season. Jokic, who won the back-to-back MVP honors in 2021 and 2022, finished second in voting behind Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid. Out of 100 votes, Jokic appeared on 99 ballots but was excluded from Jackson’s ballot.
https://youtu.be/SFzfkf79bWY
Following the announcement of the MVP voter selections by the NBA, Charles Barkley criticized the sportswriter who omitted Jokic from the ballot. It was later revealed that Jackson was the controversial voter.
In a tweet, Jackson apologized to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic, acknowledging his mistake and calling it an “honest mistake.” He further explained his MVP voting gaffe during an appearance on the SiriusXM radio show, “NBA Today,” where he admitted to mistakenly voting for All-NBA teams instead of MVP.
Jackson said that he will take any consequences that come his way, including being stripped of his MVP vote. He added that he owns the mistake and apologized to Jokic, who is not only in the MVP discussion but is also one of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Although he voted Embiid as MVP, Jackson said he would have still voted for Jokic as second or third, along with Giannis Antetokounmpo. He also acknowledged Jokic as a top-10 center of all time.
In conclusion, Mark Jackson has taken responsibility for his error and apologized for his controversial exclusion of Jokic in the NBA MVP ballot. He recognizes Jokic as a legitimate MVP candidate and one of the all-time greats in the sport.
The Endless MVP Debate: McGrady’s Take on Jokic and Embiid’s Ranking, and the Need for a Finals Showdown
Former NBA player Tracy McGrady shared his opinion on the ongoing MVP debate, placing Nikola Jokic as his top pick and Joel Embiid in second place. McGrady praised Jokic’s impressive performance as the leader of the No. 1 seed team in the Western Conference, without a fellow All-Star teammate.
He highlighted Jokic’s remarkable 29 triple-doubles and his ability to involve every player on the court, despite not being known for his defensive skills like Embiid.
The apologies to Nikola Jokić need to be as loud as the disrespect. No one is playing better than him in the playoffs on a consistent basis.
His last 10 games:
32 PTS – 10 REB – 12 AST
29 PTS – 13 REB – 12 AST
53 PTS – 4 REB – 11 AST
30 PTS – 17 REB – 17 AST
39 PTS – 16 REB -… pic.twitter.com/4NtqWl8yOb— Per Sources (@PerSources) May 12, 2023
While Joel Embiid’s MVP win is well-deserved, the debate between him and Jokic seems to be never-ending. One possible way to settle the debate is if the two superstars eventually meet in the NBA Finals.
Only then can we truly compare and determine who deserves the title of the most valuable player in the league.
