Nikola Jokic litters the polls in anonymous NBA GM survey

Nikola Jokic may not be the favorite to win a fourth MVP this coming season but he holds most people’s belt for best player in the world and that was made evident on Tuesday when NBA.com released their annual anonymous survey of the league’s general managers.

The group of executives was asked a bevy of questions ranging from that best player award to who they believe will be the champion, all the way down to some hypotheticals like they would start a team with and fun ones such as the best home court advantage. The Nuggets didn’t get nearly as much love as they got last year but their star player certainly racked up many votes.

The GMs responded to 50 questions, last year’s MVP was voted the best international player in the NBA, the best passer, the best center and named the player with the highest IQ. He came in third for the MVP picks behind heavy favorites Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luka Doncic while he also lost his title of player to start a franchise with to Rookie of the Year Victor Wembanyama—pretty understandable since the Spurs star is 20.

The results are in! pic.twitter.com/UzxpvrzEnb

— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) October 8, 2024

The 23rd annual poll had the Celtics as heavy title favorites for a second-straight year, though they split that poll with the Nuggets last season. Denver was projected to finish third in the west by the GMs. Denver got a staggering 43% of the votes for the league’s best home-court advantage with the Nuggets also placing third for most fun team to watch.

Jokic was still second for the player a GM would most like to start a franchise with, tied with Gilgeous-Alexander. Nikola also came in third for the player that coaches most needed to make adjustments for, was tied for fourth for the league’s best leader and also tied for fourth for player GMs wanted to take a shot with a game on the line—something Jamal Murray also got votes for.

Jokic also received votes for the most versatile player in the league while Aaron Gordon was the only other Nuggets player to get votes, and that was for the most versatile defender. The Nuggets staff did get some love with Michael Malone not ranking but getting votes for the coach that motivates people best, the head coach with the best in-game adjustments and for running the best offense. His right-hand man David Adelman got some votes for the league’s top assistant coach.

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