What does it take to win the NBA's Most Valuable Player award? Some claim that the NBA MVP is a statistical award, while others claim it goes to the best player on the best team. Perhaps both of these things are true, as the race for MVP is always tough to sort through over the course of the season. That is why we made the NBA MVP Rankings here at ClutchPoints.
There are a lot of basketball games to be played between now and the end of the regular season in April, but stocks are going to go up and down from week-to-week regarding this season's race for MVP.
Just one week in and we are already having arguments about who should find themselves at the top of the rankings, as Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and Denver Nuggets two-time MVP Nikola Jokic have had sensational starts to the year. Both international talents led their teams to undefeated records to begin the 2023-24 season, and they are no strangers to being in the spotlight as two of the top players in the entire NBA.
These two players obviously find themselves atop our NBA MVP Monday rankings, but it is so hard to differentiate between the two, which is why they are sharing recognition. As for the others who find themselves inside the top five of the ladder after Week 1, well, they are all household names.
Before we dive right into these NBA MVP rankings, it is worth glancing over the various honorable mentions who are very much in the race for the award this season. Reigning league MVP Joel Embiid and former two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo are once again looking to compete for a championship with the Philadelphia 76ers and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively, as Damian Lillard joins the fight with Giannis in Milwaukee.
In the Western Conference, Devin Booker, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Davis, Paul George, and De'Aaron Fox all had great starts to the 2023-24 season. Unfortunately for Booker and Fox, they are both dealing with some injuries right now, which is one of the reasons why they are not inside the top five of these rankings. For Davis, he is the focal point for the Los Angeles Lakers. LeBron James can no longer carry this team all year long, which is why AD must elevate his game to new heights this season.
Here's a look at the very first installment of the official NBA MVP Monday rankings.
1A. Luka Doncic – Dallas Mavericks
2023-24 season stats: 2 games, 41.0 points, 11.5 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 58.0 FG%, 48.0 3P%
Just look at Luka Doncic's numbers. Yes, it has been just two games, so everything looks inflated. But what Luka has done to begin the year is something you only see in video games. From chucking up threes and banking them in late in the game to simply controlling the pace of play, Doncic is making it clear early on that the MVP award is his to lose this season, putting him on top of these MVP rankings.
“That's a Luka Special,” Mavs head coach Jason Kidd said after Doncic recorded 49 points against the Brooklyn Nets recently. “He likes the ball late and loves those situations and he finds a way.”
Doncic continues to put himself in the same category as all-time greats such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Oscar Robertson every single night, which is why he is one of the faces of the league at 24 years old. As long as the Mavs are in the playoff hunt and he is healthy, it will be hard to come up with an argument against Doncic winning the MVP award.
1B. Nikola Jokic – Denver Nuggets
2023-24 season stats: 3 games, 26.3 points, 13.0 rebounds, 7.7 assists, 61.5 FG%, 45.5 3P%
It almost looks like that Nikola Jokic is playing in slow-motion every single time he takes the floor for the Denver Nuggets. Jokic continues to be a player you just simply shake your head at because there's just no way to stop him. If you let him shoot, Jokic shoots over 40 percent from three-point range. If you let him drive to the basket, he either scores at a high rate or dishes the ball to a wide-open shooter in the corner.
The Nuggets won the championship last season for a reason. That reason was the Joker's dominance. Russell Westbrook has been dubbed the “Triple-Double King,” but it won't be long until the Nuggets big man seizes this title. Nobody wanted to vote Jokic for MVP last season because the narrative was that you can't have someone win the award three times in a row. We might as well restart his MVP streak this season, right? Look for him to stick around the top of these NBA MVP rankings all year.
3. Stephen Curry – Golden State Warriors
2023-24 season stats: 3 games, 30.7 points, 5.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 50.9FG%, 44.7 3P%
No matter how many changes they make to their roster and no matter what their record is, you can never count the Golden State Warriors out of any game because of how good Stephen Curry is. The greatest shooter to ever walk on Earth, Curry continues to redefine the NBA even though he's now 35 years old. What's scary is that Curry is shooting the ball at an even higher rate than he did earlier in his career. Through three games, he has already taken 38 threes and made 17 of them, both of which lead the league.
With Chris Paul by his side as a secondary facilitator, Curry can do what he does best: running off screens and breaking down one-on-one matchups. As long as the Warriors are healthy, they will be title contenders. As long as they are title contenders, Curry will be in the MVP conversation. Like Jokic, the Warriors star is searching for his third MVP trophy, which would make him the ninth player in NBA history to achieve such a feat.
4. Jayson Tatum – Boston Celtics
2023-24 season stats: 2 games, 28.0 points, 9.5 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 50.0 FG%, 33.3 3P%
The Boston Celtics completely revamped their roster this offseason, bringing in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday at the expense of Marcus Smart, Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams III, Grant Williams, and Danilo Gallinari. So far, this team looks like a headache to solve offensively because Jayson Tatum still leads the charge. When they need a big shot to go down, Tatum is the one with the ball in his hands.
Coming off a year in which he averaged 30 points per game, Tatum is once again off to a fast start, recording a 34-point double-double in the team's first game of the year. Boston is not going to lose many games during the regular-season, which is why Tatum will be in the hunt for the MVP award once again. The best player on the best team in the league always gets consideration for this award, so if Tatum can lead the league in total points like he did a season ago, it will be hard to turn him away from this recognition.
5. Donovan Mitchell – Cleveland Cavaliers
2023-24 season stats: 2 games, 35.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 54.2 FG%, 38.1 3P%
Donovan Mitchell is one of those players who always seems to fly under the radar in terms of the spotlight. Despite being one of the best scorers in the league the last few seasons, people still don't want to admit that he is a true superstar and All-NBA talent. He was the main reason why the Cleveland Cavaliers won over 50 games a season ago. So far, Mitchell has been as good as advertised, recording back-to-back games with four made threes to begin the season.
The Cavs star is clutch, he plays well above the rim, and he has continued to be one of the better perimeter players in the entire league. Mitchell can absolutely lead the NBA in scoring and is right at the top of said list with Doncic and Curry. While others have a better path to winning the MVP award, Mitchell is truly the Cavaliers' most valuable player, earning himself a spot in these early NBA MVP rankings.
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