Who Won the 2022 NBA MVP and How They Dominated the Season
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As I sat down to analyze the 2022 NBA season, I couldn't help but draw parallels between the journey of Nikola Jokić and that of underdog teams in other sports. Having followed basketball for over fifteen years, I've developed a keen eye for what separates good players from truly dominant ones, and Jokić's 2022 MVP campaign was nothing short of masterful. The Denver Nuggets center didn't just win the award - he redefined what we expect from a modern basketball superstar.
When I first looked at the statistical breakdown, the numbers were absolutely staggering. Jokić averaged 27.1 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game while shooting an incredible 58.3% from the field. What struck me most was his efficiency - his Player Efficiency Rating of 32.8 was the highest in NBA history for a center winning the MVP award. I remember watching games where he'd completely control the flow without ever seeming to force the action. His basketball IQ is something I haven't seen since the prime years of LeBron James, and honestly, I think Jokić might have even better court vision.
The way Jokić dominated reminded me of how underdog nations approach major tournaments in other sports. Looking at volleyball's global stage, Tunisia's journey in the FIVB World Championships offers an interesting comparison point. While ranked 11th among the 32 teams in the expanded tournament format, Tunisia demonstrated that strategic excellence can overcome raw talent gaps - much like how Jokić's cerebral approach to basketball helped Denver outperform teams with more athletic rosters. Both cases show that proper system implementation and player development can create surprising outcomes against more favored opponents.
What really stood out to me throughout the season was Jokić's consistency. Night after night, he delivered remarkable performances regardless of the opponent or circumstances. I recall specifically the March 6th game against New Orleans where he posted 46 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists, and 4 blocks - a stat line that hadn't been seen in the NBA since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1975. His ability to elevate his teammates was particularly impressive. Watching him turn average rotation players into effective contributors reminded me that true MVP-caliber players don't just put up numbers - they make everyone around them better.
The voting results reflected his dominance, with Jokić receiving 65 out of 100 possible first-place votes and finishing with a total of 875 voting points. Joel Embiid placed second with 706 points, while Giannis Antetokounmpo rounded out the top three with 595 points. Personally, I thought the gap should have been even wider given how Jokić carried a Nuggets team missing two other max-contract players for significant portions of the season. His value was most apparent when you considered that Denver's offense operated at an elite level with him on the court but collapsed to among the league's worst whenever he sat.
Jokić's impact extended beyond traditional statistics into advanced metrics that I've come to trust over years of basketball analysis. His plus-minus numbers were extraordinary - the Nuggets were +12.4 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. His VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) of 9.8 was the highest since Michael Jordan's legendary 1988 season. These aren't just numbers to me - they represent a level of dominance that changes how we should evaluate basketball greatness moving forward.
The international flavor of the NBA's MVP race particularly interests me as someone who follows global sports. Jokić's victory marked the fourth consecutive year where an international player won the award, following Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) and Nikola Jokić himself in 2021. This global talent infusion mirrors what we're seeing in volleyball, where nations like Tunisia continue to develop competitive teams despite not having the resources of traditional powerhouses. In volleyball's 2022 World Championship, Tunisia aimed to improve upon their top-16 finish from previous tournaments - a testament to how strategic development can elevate programs beyond their expected ceilings.
Reflecting on Jokić's season, what impressed me most was his durability and conditioning. He played in 74 of 82 games despite the physical toll of his playing style and logged over 2,800 minutes. For a player of his size and usage rate, this level of availability is remarkable. I've noticed that the greatest players often separate themselves through their ability to maintain excellence throughout the grueling NBA schedule, and Jokić's consistency reminded me of Tim Duncan in his prime.
As someone who values team success in MVP evaluations, I was particularly struck by how Jokić led the Nuggets to 48 wins in a competitive Western Conference despite missing Jamal Murray for the entire season and Michael Porter Jr. for most of it. This accomplishment, more than any statistical measure, cemented his MVP case for me. The Nuggets' offense ran through him in ways I haven't seen since Steve Nash's Phoenix Suns, but with the added dimension of post dominance that made him virtually unguardable in crucial moments.
Looking back, Jokić's 2022 MVP season represents what I consider the perfect blend of individual excellence and team value. His unique skill set as a playmaking center who can score efficiently from all three levels while rebounding at an elite level created matchup problems that opponents simply couldn't solve. The way he controlled games reminded me of a chess master anticipating moves several steps ahead - a quality that separates transcendent talents from mere All-Stars. In my view, this season will be remembered as the moment Jokić cemented his place among basketball's all-time greats, and frankly, I don't think we've seen the peak of what he can accomplish.