John Salley thinks Nikola Jokic didn't win the MVP award because of his personality: "The image of the league was better with Shai"

John Salley thinks Nikola Jokic didn’t win the MVP award because of his personality: “The image of the league was better with Shai” originally appeared on Basketball Network.

Discussions regarding who the NBA’s Most Valuable Player is are contentious every season. With the league not offering a clear-cut criterion, voters are left to their own devices to determine who truly deserves the honor.

This season, the league’s most prestigious individual honor went to Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who won it over three-time MVP winner Nikola Jokic. While most agreed with the 6’6″ Canadian winning the highly coveted award due to his incredible season-long brilliance, which lifted the Thunder to a remarkable 68-win season, four-time NBA champion John Salley gave an intriguing take as to why SGA won it all.

A worthy MVP

With averages of 32.7 points on 51 percent shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 6.4 assists and 1.7 steals per game, Gilgeous-Alexander wasn’t going to be denied the MVP award for a second straight year, becoming the first Thunder player to win it since Russell Westbrook won it in 2017.

Salley did not argue that SGA should not have won the award, but pointed out that if the criteria were based on statistics alone, giving the honor to The Joker was a no-brainer. After all, the 6’11” Serbian with the all-around skills averaged a triple-double this season (29.6 points, 12.7 boards and 10.2 assists), becoming the first big man to achieve the feat.

“I think he’s worthy of the MVP, 100 percent. I really do,” Salley stressed. “But if you were going with stats — Joker had better stats.”

The NBA does not have set criteria for the MVP award. While some voters lean towards the best player on the best team, others consider individual statistics and their impact on their respective teams. Salley, though, believes SGA aligns better with what the league considers an MVP should be.

“The MVP is for the league. And I think the image of the league was better with SGA, you know, with Shai. And the reason I say that too: younger, more flamboyant, more interactive,” the 6’11” big man explained.

The 26-year-old has proven to be successful not only on the floor but also off it. From his fashionable outfits to his charismatic personality, he has become a fan favorite and a bona fide star in the league.

Workman-like

Jokic, in contrast to SGA, presents a different demeanor. While the Sombor, Serbia native shares an equally likable personality that occasionally shines through during press conferences, he tends to remain reserved and keeps a low profile.

“You know, I think Joker did one or two commercials. I just don’t think he has the personality that the NBA wanted to exploit,” John expressed.

If given the choice, Jokic would simply head to the arena, play basketball, secure the win, and then return home to his family — or perhaps even travel back to his homeland to care for his beloved horses. It’s a mindset that Salley deeply admires.

“I understand his point of view, too. ‘I’m here to play basketball. All this other stuff is other stuff,'” Salley conveyed. “And you know, I like his attitude. I like his ‘I only do this as a job. I can’t wait to go home.'”

Although the NBA had nothing to do with who won the Michael Jordan Trophy this season, John believes it suited the league better to have a player like SGA represent it. With his high-scoring game, dazzling shiftiness, and humble demeanor, he could easily carry the torch for the NBA’s future generations.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Jun 12, 2025, where it first appeared.

John Salley thinks Nikola Jokic didn’t win the MVP award because of his personality: “The image of the league was better with Shai”

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