John Salley says Jokic should’ve won MVP over Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

John Salley had a phenomenal NBA career. He won four rings, two with Detroit and one each with Chicago and the Lakers.

Once one of the best centers expressed his opinion on who is the NBA's Most Valuable Player (MVP) in the 2024-2025 season.

Although Salley believes that Shai deserved the award, he is sure that Nikola is the basketball player who should have received this prestigious award.

"Shai Gilgeous-Alexander deservedly received that award. But, if we look at the statistics – Joker is better," Seli pointed out, then continued:

"But, for the image of the league, Gilgeous-Alexander is better. The reason is that he is younger, more luxurious, more open... Joker didn't even want advertisements. And he doesn't have the personality that the NBA wants. He is a foreigner. However, I also understand his point of view. I am here to play basketball, and everything else is everything else."

Fans reacted

Fans from Serbia also share this opinion, stressing that Jokic should have received the award, and at the same time believing that Nikola fell short of the prestigious award mainly because he comes from a small European country. The question is how much truth there is in that, but it is clear that nuances have decided when it comes to these two players.

Salley added:

"I like Jokic's 'I'm just doing this as a job, I can't wait to go home' approach."

Nikola is a specific type, and a person who is a favorite among fans. There are many reasons for this, and the popular basketball player has never hidden that basketball is not his priority in life. The 30-year-old has always focused on other things, which makes his superiority on NBA floors even more significant.

Fans of this sport are eagerly awaiting the next season, hoping that this time Nikola will be an equally dominant figure and win the prestigious award, which many believe he deserved long ago.