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With the NBA regular season coming to a close, and the playoffs ready to start up, it’s time to hand out some awards. The MVP race is most competitive than ever, and could come down to just a couple of votes. Could Draymond Green take home his second Defensive Player of the Year award, or will a newcomer swoop? We gave our predictions for all of the major NBA awards, starting with the Rookie of the Year:
Rookie of the Year — Stephon Castle, Spurs
Atlanta’s Zaccharie Risacher, the No. 1 pick in the draft, made a push to end the year. Risacher finished with 12.6 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and 35.5 3PT%. Two of his best games came in the final month of the year — 38 points vs. Brooklyn, 36 points vs. Milwaukee. It’s a toss-up between him and San Antonio guard Stephon Castle, but we give the slight edge to the Spur over the full season.
Castle’s counting numbers are on-par with Risacher’s — 14.7 PPG, 3.7 RPG, and 4.1 APG. He struggled with efficiency, but that is to be expected for a 20-year-old guard. While Castle converted just 28.5-percent of his threes, he relentlessly attacked the rim and consistently got to the foul line. Castle averaged 7.7 FTA per 100 possessions — the 19th highest-rate in the league. Defensively, Castle was asked to guard the best perimeter player on the other team on a nightly basis. He held his own against some of the game’s elite scorers. For the second-straight season, a Spur wins Rookie of the Year.
Most Improved Player — Dyson Daniels, Hawks
The Most Improved Player award typically has several worthy candidates. This year is no different. Two LA guards — Norman Powell and Austin Reaves — are enjoying career years for two of the best teams in the Western Conference. Powell’s teammate, Clippers center Ivica Zubac, has developed into one of the top centers in the league and may make an All-NBA team. Denver’s Christian Braun saw his role increase this year and has nearly doubled his output from last season. There’s also former No. 1 overall pick Cade Cunningham who was named an All-Star and has led the Pistons to their first playoff appearance since 2019.
Our vote is going to go to Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels. Part of the trade package that landed Dejounte Murray in New Orleans, Daniels ended up being the most impactful player from the offseason deal. Daniels is posting career numbers across the board, including in steals where he became the first player since 1991 to average at least 3.0 SPG in a season. Daniels went from a seldom-used bench option to a Defensive Player of the Year candidate with averages of 14.1 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 4.4 APG.
Sixth Man of the Year — Ty Jerome, Cavaliers
Detroit’s Malik Beasley and Boston’s Payton Pritchard are strong Sixth Man of the Year candidates. Both players are putting up solid numbers in their reserve role. Beasley finished second in the league in three-pointers made. Pritchard was fifth in threes, and put up a balanced stat-line of 14.3 PPG, 3.8 RPG, and 3.5 APG.
However, we can’t overlook what Cleveland’s Ty Jerome has been able to accomplish this season. Jerome is averaging 12.5 PPG, 3.4 APG, 2.5 RPG, and 1.1 SPG on 64.3 TS%. And he’s doing that while playing 10 fewer minutes per game than Beasley or Pritchard. His shooting and playmaking has been invaluable for the 64-win Cavaliers.
Clutch Player of the Year — LeBron James, Lakers
Still getting it done in Year 22. The 40-year-old has been the most productive player in the league in the fourth quarter this year. James leads all players in fourth quarter scoring (7.2) and is second in assists (1.9). He shot over 50-percent in the final frame, and also made 37-percent of his threes. For his entire career, James’ teams can count on him to make the right play down the stretch. That was no different in 2025. James basically sealed his first Clutch Player of the Year award when he tapped in the game-winning bucket against the Pacers last month.
Defensive Player of the Year — Evan Mobley, Cavaliers
Mobley, a former No. 2 overall pick, has really come into his own as a player this year. He’s developed a more refined offense game, and has been more aggressive in seeking scoring opportunties. Additionally, his defensive prowess has transformed the Cavaliers into one of top defenses in the league.
While his block (1.6 BPG) and rebound (9.3 RPG) numbers don’t jump off the page, Mobley is constantly around the ball and altering shots. He’s hyper-active on the defensive end, getting his long limbs into passing lanes and deterring slashers. The Cavaliers get their second year-end award with Mobley taking home DPOY over Oklahoma City’s Luguentz Dort and Golden State’s Draymond Green.
Coach of the Year — JB Bickerstaff, Pistons
That being said, we’re going to heap some praise on the guy Atkinson replaced — former Cavaliers and current Pistons coach JB Bickerstaff. Atkinson improved a team that was already good (Cleveland went 48-34 under Bickerstaff in ’24). Bickerstaff took over for a team that won 14 games last year. They tripled that win total in Year 1 under their new coach. The front office made a few shrew moves in the offseason, but watching Bickerstaff pull all the right levers with a young team has been sensational. He’s earned this recognition.
Most Valuable Player — Nikola Jokić, Nuggets
The main event. To put this race into perspective, Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 PPG, 11.9 RPG, 6.5 APG, and 1.2 BPG on 60-percent shooting and will comfortably finish in third place. It’s a two-man race between Denver’s three-time MVP Nikola Jokić and Oklahoma City superstar Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
The case for the Gilgeous-Alexander is simple. He had one of the most prolific season for a guard ever while leading one of the most dominant regular season teams ever. The 26-year-old averaged 32.7 PPG, 5.0 RPG, 6.4 APG, 1.7 SPG, and 1.0 BPG. If his counting numbers aren’t impressive enough, Gilgeous-Alexander’s efficiency was off the charts — 51.9 FG%, 37.5 3PT%, and 89.8 FT%. The Thunder hardly missed a step when Chet Holmgren missed 50 games. Gilgeous-Alexander’s two-way impact was shown on a nightly basis for a team that won 68 games.
Any other year, Gilgeous-Alexander would be the runaway favorite to win the award, but Jokić’s season was even beyond that.
Jokić ended with averages of 29.6 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 10.2 APG, and 1.8 SPG — ranking top-3 in the NBA in all four categories and becoming the first center to average a triple-double for a full season. His shooting efficiency was even better than SGA’s, ranking sixth in the NBA in true-shooting percentage (66.3) while increasing his three-point volume. He posted one of the best games in NBA history earlier this month, registering 60 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Timberwolves. Despite lousy roster construction, and a down season from his best teammates, Jokić still managed to lead the Nuggets to 50 wins and a top-4 seed in the rugged Western Conference.
You can’t go wrong with either candidate, but Jokić’s historic season gives him the slightest edge over an extraordinary year from Gilgeous-Alexander.
