Capping off a historic season that saw him bring the Denver Nuggets their first NBA championship in franchise history, two-time league MVP Nikola Jokic has been announced as the winner of the 2023 ESPYS Best NBA Player award.

Jokic also won the 2023 NBA Finals MVP award after averaging 30.2 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.8 steals per game against the Miami Heat, putting on an offensive masterclass as the Nuggets knocked off the Heat in five games.

Many even believe that he should have won his third regular season MVP award last season after he averaged 24.5 points, 11.8 rebounds, 9.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.7 blocks per game. However, the award eventually landed in the hands of Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, with the Cameroonian center averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.0 steal per game in the 2022-23 regular season.

NBA MVP award snubs are far from an uncommon occurrence, with even Embiid having a legitimate argument for why he should have won the award in the past.

Yet, the discourse surrounding Jokic and Embiid's right to win the award had devolved into an ugly and uncomfortable conversation that stonewalled any legitimate or sensible questions about fan perception, media perception and how they might affect a player positively or negatively. Truly unfortunate, as it was the only blemish on Jokic's extraordinary season, and it wasn't even because of the gregarious giant's own doing.

Hopefully, future conversations surrounding the superstar take on a different tone, as he's the most skilled center in league history and particularly likeable too.

A player with every right to be called the best in the league.