NBA announces award finalists: Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic top three for MVP

Will Nikola Jokic join Wilt Chamberlain, LeBron James, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Bill Russell, and Michael Jordan as the only players to win four NBA MVPs, or will Shai Gilgeous-Alexander win his first?

We know those two are among the three finalists for the MVP award (and will finish 1-2 in some order), as the league announced the top three for each of the end-of-season individual awards (voted on by a select group of media members, here is my ballot). The winners of the various awards will be announced during the next couple of weeks.

There are no surprises on the list, although some players certainly will feel snubbed. Here is a list of all the finalists (the players are listed in alphabetical order):

Most Valuable Player

Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee)
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Oklahoma City)
Nikola Jokic (Denver)

Rookie of the Year

Stephon Castle (San Antonio)
Zacharie Risacher (Atlanta)
Jaylen Wells (Memphis)

Defensive Player of the Year

Dyson Daniels (Atlanta)
Draymond Green (Golden State)
Evan Mobley (Cleveland)

Coach of the Year

Kenny Atkinson (Cleveland)
J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit)
Ime Udoka (Houston)

Sixth Man of the Year

Malik Beasley (Detroit)
Ty Jerome (Cleveland)
Payton Pritchard (Boston)

Most Improved Player

Cade Cunningham (Detroit)
Dyson Daniels (Atlanta)
Ivica Zubac (Los Angeles Clippers)

Clutch Player Of the Year

Jalen Brunson (New York)
Anthony Edwards (Minnesota)
Nikola Jokic (Denver)