Gilbert Arenas always has odd takes up his sleeves about everything related to basketball. The former Wizards guard even has a podcast to express his unfiltered opinion about the latest happenings in the world of the NBA. With the regular season days numbered, the NBA MVP race, led by Nikola Jokic, is one of the most enticing discussion materials among game enthusiasts.
Gilbert Arenas took his chance to provide his take on the end-of-season award and had some things to say that wouldn’t please the Nuggets fans.
Gilbert Arenas provides astonishing take on Nikola Jokic
While discussing the 2024 MVP race with Shannon Sharpe in an episode of “Nightcap”, Agent Zero said, “Jokic is probably, statistically, when it comes to overall game, the worst MVP winner. He’s the worst MVP winner in the last 40 years”. Arenas further added that the Denver Nuggets center shouldn’t have won the MVP trophies in 2021 and 2022.
To justify his take, the former guard mentioned the impact that Michael Jordan (1988) and Russell Westbrook (2017) had when they won the prestigious trophy. “When [Michael] Jordan won it, his team record, they were seventh in the NBA. That year, he averaged 35 [points], 6 [assists], 5 [rebounds], 3 steals, All-Star MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, scoring title, steals leader – that was the MVP” added Arenas.
“He is the worst MVP winner in the last 40 years.”
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 4, 2024
– Gilbert Arenas on Nikola Jokic
pic.twitter.com/5ltZhN14rn
Emphasizing the Clippers’ guard’s impact, Arenas said, “When [Russell] Westbrook won it, his team had the 10th-best record. Triple-double. He did something amazing.”
While the 3-time All-Star thought Jokic was “the worst MVP winner” there is someone who will vote for Jokic in the upcoming MVP title race regardless of the cost.
Sports show host backs Jokic for MVP
On “Run it Back” Ryen Russillo boldly declared his admiration for Nikola Jokic and the way he is performing this season with a high stat line. While some NBA experts feel Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is the right choice for the Michael Jordan Trophy, for Russillo, the Serbian tops the chart.
The sports show host claimed, “I have no hesitation with Jokic this year. He could wear a ‘Ryen Russillo sucks’ t-shirt at warmups, and there’s just no way I’d be voting for anybody else. It comes down to Luka and Giannis at 2 and 3 for me.”
"I have no hesitation with [Nikola] Jokic this year…He could wear a t-shirt that says 'Ryen Russillo sucks' at warm ups, and there's just no way I'd be voting for anybody else."@ryenarussillo says Jokic is 100% his MVP 🏅 pic.twitter.com/ZdaqmH9v26
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) April 3, 2024
The reigning NBA champion has established his dominance by averaging 26.4 points, 12.3 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game and added 23 more triple-doubles this season to his list, which is just behind Domantas Sabonis’ 26. According to NBA.com, Jokic is topping the MVP race followed by Luka Doncic and SGA among other contenders.
Jokic with his outstanding performance has pulled his team to the second spot of the Western table with the same win-loss record as the table-toppers, Timberwolves. Jokic will have only 5 games left after the game against the Clippers to prove why he is the out-and-out favorite to win yet another MVP award.
