Who Won the 2021 NBA MVP Voting? Full Results and Breakdown

As I look back at the 2021 NBA season, I can't help but feel that Nikola Jokić's MVP victory was one of those special moments that reminds us why we love this game. I've been following basketball for over fifteen years now, and what struck me about Jokić's campaign wasn't just the statistical dominance—though that was certainly impressive—but how he completely redefined what we expect from a center in today's NBA. The Serbian big man secured 91 first-place votes out of 100 possible, finishing with a total of 971 points in the voting system. That's a commanding lead over second-place finisher Joel Embiid, who received 586 points with just one first-place vote.

What really stood out to me was how Jokić carried the Denver Nuggets through significant adversity, particularly after Jamal Murray's season-ending injury in April. I remember watching those games thinking, "This guy is doing it all—scoring, rebounding, playmaking, and doing it with such incredible efficiency." He became the first center since Shaquille O'Neal in 2000 to win the award, averaging 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game while shooting 56.6% from the field. Those numbers still blow my mind when I think about them. The way he orchestrated the offense from the high post reminded me of some of the great point guards I've watched over the years, except he was doing it from the center position.

The voting breakdown tells an interesting story about how the league landscape was perceived that year. Stephen Curry finished third with 453 points after his incredible scoring outbursts, particularly that 62-point game against Portland that had everyone talking. Giannis Antetokounmpo, who had won the previous two MVP awards, placed fourth with 348 points. Chris Paul rounded out the top five with 139 points, which I thought was well-deserved given how he transformed the Phoenix Suns into a championship contender. Looking at the complete results, what's fascinating is that Jokić appeared on every single ballot—a testament to how universally respected his season was among voters.

Reflecting on that season now, I see parallels with that Filipino phrase from the knowledge base about reaching championships but falling short sometimes. Jokić's journey mirrors that sentiment—he had carried Denver to the Western Conference Finals the previous year but fell short of the ultimate prize. There's always a reason, as the saying goes, and in Jokić's case, the reason for falling short in the playoffs that year was likely the team's injury situation. But his regular season performance was so transcendent that voters couldn't ignore it. Personally, I believe this was one of the most deserving MVP wins in recent memory because it wasn't just about raw numbers—it was about how he elevated his game when his team needed him most. The beauty of basketball, much like life, is that sometimes the most valuable contributions come in unexpected packages, and Jokić's unique skill set certainly proved that point emphatically during the 2020-2021 campaign.