NBA predictions 2024-25: Our expert picks for MVP and every major award this season

Nikola Jokic can claim his fourth MVP in five years and will be up against Luka Doncic who will try to claim his first MVP entering his seventh season in the NBA. (Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images)

Which superstars will claim the NBA’s biggest awards in 2024-25?

Will Nikola Jokic once again seize back-to-back MVPs, or can another big man, Joel Embiid, reclaim the coveted award?

After what was considered a down year for the 2024 NBA draft class, the expectations for this season’s rookies are low. However, after a few surprising performances at summer league from Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard and Portland Trail Blazers center Donovan Clingan, the race for Rookie of the Year is up for grabs.

Will reigning Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert protect his title against a plethora of lock-down defenders, including French teammate Victor Wembanyama? Will reigning Coach of the Year Mark Daigneault lift the Oklahoma City Thunder to another No. 1 seed in the West?

We asked our Summer Forecast panel — a group of NBA experts, including reporters, editors and analysts — to rank its top three choices for the NBA’s six major awards, with a first-place vote receiving five points, a second-place vote receiving three and a third-place vote receiving one.

Here are the results:

Note: Our 2024-25 NBA Summer Forecast continues Wednesday with win-loss predictions for the Eastern Conference. On Monday, we revealed our picks for the teams that will have the biggest turnaround this season and the teams that will drop off, and answered the season’s biggest questions, including which superstar will request a trade next.

Who will win NBA MVP?

Superstars and basketball legends have claimed top-tier status by winning the NBA’s MVP award, and this season’s race is once again wide open.

Mavericks guard Luka Doncic is at the top of our rankings after a commanding performance in the 2024 NBA Finals and will look to claim his first MVP award as he enters his seventh season in the league.

Coming in second is reigning MVP Nikola Jokic, who can join a list of NBA greats in LeBron James and Michael Jordan if the Nuggets big man can claim his fourth award in five years.

Not far behind is Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who came second in last season’s vote behind Jokic and could make the leap this year as the leader of a young and exciting Oklahoma City squad.

1. Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks: 61 points (48% of first-place votes)

2. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: 40 points (10%)

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: 37 points (24%)

4. Oklahoma City Thunder: 1 point