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We’ve combined a five-part series called “What We Saw,” which looks at the most sensible contenders for the Kia Rookie Ladder and Kia MVP Ladder rankings.
Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren were the smartest rookies in the league, while Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander behaved as the league’s most valuable players, according to the rankings.
As players close their case for hardware, it’s time to take a look at their most impressive moments, their most sensible stat lines, and what made them stand out in the theater this season.
Luka Doncic, Dallas Mavericks
Luka Doncic is a specific offensive talent, not only in the NBA today, but in the history of the game. He’s a 6-foot-7, 230-pound point guard with incredible skills, capable of hitting the basket, shooting from distance and making every pass on the floor. There’s no right way to protect him, because he’ll settle for what the defense needs to give him. Sometimes he takes what they don’t need to give him. He is still only 25 years old and will inevitably be an MVP candidate for many years to come. Go further.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is an excellent offensive player who controls the game at his own pace and can make the league’s most productive defenders look like idiots. He is also an incredibly disruptive and courageous advocate. He is the leader of one of the two groups that end up in the five most sensible groups at either end of the field. And when the Oklahoma City Thunder went from sub-. 000 last season to one of the league’s four most sensible groups, Gilgeous-Alexander went from All-Star prestige. to the candidate to MVP. Ve beyond.
Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder
They had to wait a year, but the Oklahoma City Thunder obviously have a cornerstone of the franchise in Kia Rookie of the Year candidate Chet Holmgren. The Thunder were the most advanced team in the league in terms of wins consistent with percentage and second-highest. The team took a step forward in terms of consistent point difference with one hundred possessions, after seeing a significant improvement in offensive and defensive efficiency. And Holmgren is one of the main reasons for this. Go further.
Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
There have been many elements to Nikola Jokic’s candidacy for Kia’s MVP award over the past few seasons, and they are all here this season. If you like scoring numbers, Jokic has a few we haven’t noticed in over 60 years. He backs up one of the most effective goalscorers in La Liga. His value obviously shows how much bigger the Denver Nuggets are when he’s on the court. And when you look at the defending champions, you temporarily realize that he’s the centerpiece of everything they do. . Go further.
Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
Victor Wembanyama was the most anticipated prospect in the draft in 20 years, and he surely lived up to the hype. The 20-year-old from the Paris region is a staple of the nightlife show, but also a novice who packs a punch. on a team that was lucky enough to win the lottery 10 months ago. He’s already one of the most productive finishers in the league and is unstoppable on the other end of the field. Go further.
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John Schuhmann is a senior statistics analyst at NBA. com. You can email him here, his files here, and follow him on X.
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