With the NBA Playoffs underway, we will soon begin learning who has won the various NBA Awards for the 2023-24 season. While some, like Rookie of the Year, feel like a foregone conclusion, there is genuine intrigue for many of the selections on this year’s awards ballot.
There have been ample debates about the MVP, DPOY, and Sixth Man of the Year races this season, and that will only continue once the awards are handed out and voting is made official. This year’s awards voting had the added wrinkle of the NBA’s new games played mandate, which required players to play in 65 games — and to play 20 minutes per game. That eliminated some contenders from the Most Improved race, in particular, and led to some voter frustration.
On Sunday, the three finalists for each of the awards were unveiled, and while there are few surprises among the list of finalists, we now know officially what players remain in the running for the league’s various awards.
Most Valuable Player
Luka Doncic
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Nikola Jokic
Defensive Player of the Year
Bam Adebayo
Rudy Gobert
Victor Wembanyama
Rookie of the Year
Chet Holmgren
Brandon Miller
Victor Wembanyama
Coach of the Year
Mark Daigneault
Chris Finch
Jamahl Mosley
Sixth Man of the Year
Malik Monk
Bobby Portis Jr.
Naz Reid
Most Improved Player
Tyrese Maxey
Alperen Sengun
Coby White
Clutch Player of the Year
Stephen Curry
DeMar DeRozan
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander