The NBA regular season is over and the NBC News sports crew had some thoughts on the major awards races. We skipped the Defensive Player of the Year award \u2014 Victor Wembenyama seems to have that one wrapped up. But our teams dove into the tightly contested MVP, Rookie of the Year, Sixth Man of the Year and Most Improved races below.<\/p>\n
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We have more NBA Play-In Tournament games tonight, too. Throughout the NBA playoffs, we\u2019ll have you covered here and, as always, on the NBC News<\/a> website. <\/p>\n MVP By Rohan Nadkarni, NBC News sports reporter<\/p>\n I wonder if Denver\u2019s Nikola Joki\u0107 would be running away with this award had he not already won three MVPs. Oklahoma City\u2019s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is a worthy choice here. So is the Lakers\u2019 Luka Doncic. (I think Victor Wembenyama has played too few minutes.)<\/p>\n But I think no player in the league carries more responsibility than the \u201cJoker,\u201d who certainly plays with talented teammates, but isn\u2019t flanked by multiple All-Stars or multiple All-NBA level defenders like Gilgeous-Alexander.<\/p>\n For the second straight season, Joki\u0107 belongs to a club that he created and of which he is the only member: Scoring at least 27 points per game, shooting over 55% from the field, while averaging at least 10 assists a night. He\u2019s doing all that while leading the league in assists and rebounds. SGA certainly has a case, but in my opinion, not as strong of a case as Jokic.<\/p>\n Andrew Greif: Nikola Jokic<\/p>\n Tim Rohan: Nikola Jokic<\/p>\n Greg Rosenstein: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander<\/p>\n Rookie of the Year By Andrew Greif, NBC News sports reporter<\/p>\n For years, NBA insiders pegged the \u201825 draft class as uniquely deep and talented. It turns out the hype was deserved. Picking a winner between Charlotte\u2019s Kon Knueppel, No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg of Dallas and Philadelphia\u2019s V.J. Edgecombe is an exercise in splitting the finest of hairs.<\/p>\n Flagg \u2014 the only player this season to lead his team in points, rebounds, assists and steals \u2014 and Edgecombe showed their franchises that their futures are in good hands.<\/p>\n Yet, Knueppel should win because his play immediately helped Charlotte leap from perennially moribund to one of the season\u2019s revelations. His 273 3-pointers led the NBA and are a rookie record by 66. His effective field goal percentage this season was a staggering 60.1%.<\/p>\n Rohan Nadkarni: Cooper Flagg<\/p>\n Tim Rohan: Cooper Flagg<\/p>\n Greg Rosenstein: Cooper Flagg<\/p>\n Sixth Man of the Year By Tim Rohan, NBC News sports editor and reporter<\/p>\n The Sixth Man of the Year race has been whittled down in recent weeks to two candidates: Miami forward Jaime Jaquez Jr. and San Antonio forward Keldon Johnson.<\/p>\n Jaquez Jr. put up big numbers for a reserve player \u2014 15.4 points, 5 rebounds and about 5 assists per game. But the Heat faded down the stretch and lost last night in the NBA Play-In Tournament.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Johnson is the \u201cheart and soul\u201d<\/a> of the Spurs, who surprised the league and won 62 games. Johnson averaged 13.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, while shooting 36.3% from 3-point range, and providing lots of energy off the bench.<\/p>\n He\u2019s also the Spurs\u2019 longest-tenured player. He wears cowboy hats to games and serves as unofficial team DJ. He\u2019s the better story on the better team \u2014 and just edges out Jaquez Jr. for the award.<\/p>\n Rohan Nadkarni: Jaime Jaquez Jr.<\/p>\n Andrew Greif: Jaime Jaquez Jr.<\/p>\n Greg Rosenstein: Jaime Jaquez Jr.<\/p>\n Most Improved By Greg Rosenstein, NBC News sports editor<\/p>\n Nickeil Alexander-Walker has thrived since joining the Atlanta Hawks this season. He more than doubled his points per game average (20.8 compared to 9.4 a year ago with the Minnesota Timberwolves) and has career-highs in minutes, steals, assists, rebounds and 3-pointers. You also can\u2019t foul him, as he\u2019s shooting 90.2% from the free-throw line.<\/p>\n Alexander-Walker is one of the premier defenders in the league and is a key reason why Atlanta was one of the hottest teams in the NBA down the stretch. He\u2019s the no-brainer choice for this award.<\/p>\n Rohan Nadkarni: Nickeil Alexander-Walker<\/p>\n Andrew Greif: Jalen Duren<\/p>\n Tim Rohan: Jalen Duren<\/p>\n Newsletter Feedback<\/p>\n The Sports Desk newsletter has been back for a few weeks now and we want to hear from you, gentle reader. How\u2019re we doing? What do you like about the newsletter? What can we do better? Send your comments to SportsDesk@nbcuni.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n What We’re Reading<\/p>\n After the Pittsburgh Pirates signed top prospect Konnor Griffin to a $140 million deal, our Tim Rohan examined the trend of MLB teams signing young players to huge contracts<\/a>. Super agent Scott Boras, players Corbin Carroll and Luis Robert Jr. and ex-GM Sandy Alderson all weighed in.<\/p>\n Right on cue, the Detroit Tigers announced today they had agreed to an eight-year, $150 million deal<\/a> with rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle.<\/p>\n The Athletic reporter Dianna Russini resigned over photos<\/a> of her and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel and the news outlet says its investigation will continue.<\/a><\/p>\n LaMelo Ball should have been ejected for tripping <\/a>Bam Adebayo last night, Heat coach says.<\/p>\n Former Michigan coach Sherrone Moore avoids jail time <\/a>after pleading no contest to misdemeanors related to an incident at a staffer\u2019s home.<\/p>\n Draymond Green gives a telling response <\/a>about Warriors coach Steve Kerr\u2019s future with the team.<\/p>\n Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran made an obscene gesture to a fan<\/a> who he says \u2018told me to kill myself.\u2019<\/p>\n![\"Nikola](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260411-Nikola-Jokic-ch-1015-79e7c6.jpg\")
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic in San Antonio on April 12.Scott Wachter \/ Imagn Images<\/p>\n![\"Kon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260415-Kon-Knueppel-ch-1013-901be4.jpg\")
Charlotte Hornets guard Kon Knueppel drives the ball against Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown in boston on April 7, 2026.David Butler II \/ Imagn Images<\/p>\n![\"Keldon](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260415-Keldon-Johnson-ch-1012-1aa894.jpg\")
Keldon Johnson of the San Antonio Spurs drives to the basket during the game against the Dallas Mavericks on April 10, 2026, in San Antonio.Michael Gonzales \/ NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Nickeil](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/260415-Nickeil-Alexander-Walker-ch-1010-d43acf.jpg\")
Atlanta Hawks guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 8, 2026.David Richard \/ Imagn Images<\/p>\n