NBA Announces Finalists for Major Awards, Including MVP and Sixth Man

The NBA has announced the finalists for its 2024-25 regular season awards, highlighting a competitive race for MVP between Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks, with Jokic aiming for his fourth MVP in five years and Gilgeous-Alexander leading the league in scoring. Other major awards feature the Cleveland Cavaliers' Evan Mobley, Golden State Warriors' Draymond Green, and Atlanta Hawks' Dyson Daniels as Defensive Player of the Year finalists. For Sixth Man of the Year, Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard, Detroit Pistons' Malik Beasley, and Cavaliers' Ty Jerome are in contention, with Pritchard considered a frontrunner due to his strong bench performance and three-point shooting. The Rookie of the Year category includes Stephon Castle (San Antonio Spurs), Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks), and Jaylen Wells (Memphis Grizzlies). Winners will be revealed during TNT's playoff coverage in the coming weeks, as voted by a panel of 100 NBA media members. The awards reflect a season with standout individual performances and significant team achievements across the league.