2025 NBA Awards Ballot: Shai Gilgeous-Aalexander is MVP, Cade Cunningham is the most improved

The NBA has officially awarded voting bulletins for prices 2024-25. This is my voting ninth year, and some of these choices are more difficult than ever. Others are obvious. From MVP to All-Rookie to the most improved, here is my full voting bulletin and thought behind the most difficult decisions.

Most useful player

1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder

2. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets

3. Giannis antetokounmpo, Bucks

4. Jayson Tatum, Celtics

5. LeBron James, Lakers

It was an atrocious choice. On the one hand, you have Jokić having another season of all time: 29.6 points, 12.7 plates, 10.2 assists. Jokić was no longer effective during the 2022-23 season, but that year he took 4.7 less shots per game. Without a doubt, it was one of the largest offensive seasons of all time, because it added even more variety to an already absurd arsenal.

Jokić is always used on the ground, whether displayed, handling the ball itself on the perimeter or receives the ball from a screen as a little guard would. But this season, he made 41.7% of his 4.7 shots of 3 per game, the two high careers. Everything was there. He has no weakness in attack.

But he was not the same defender he was in the past. His effort and commitments have slipped. It is understandable given the offensive load, but notable when the nuggets ended with a lower 10 defensive note. And as a centerpiece of this defense, part of this lands on him.

However, Jokić dragged this team to 50 victories. Jamal Murray had a year of decline. Aaron Gordon missed 31 games. The front office imploded. He could have come out of the rails. But Jokić stabilized everything. And in almost all season, it would have been the simplest choice of all time for MVP.

But Gilgeous-Alexander was the best player from afar the best team, with an average of 32.7 points, 6.4 assists, five plates, 1.7 interceptions and a block. Only three players in the history of the NBA have collected on average more than 32 points, five assists, 60% true shooting and more than two actions (stolen + blocks) per game in a season: Michael Jordan did it three times, James Harden did it twice … and now SGA.

None of these other seasons of Jordan or Harden, however, won nearly 68 victories. And SGA led OKC despite the fact that Chet Holmgren was missing 50 games and Isaiah Hartenstein missing 25 games. In the 1,112 minutes, SGA played without one or the other, the Thunder was even more than 18.9. Add the minutes that their second best player Jalen Williams was also on the bench, the Thunder was still a plus 26.7 as long as SGA was on the ground. OKC had the biggest point differential in the history of the NBA because of SGA.

And yes, thunder has better depth than nuggets. But SGA was the engine of the offense, and it was by no means a weak link with their best rated defense. He was active, disruptive, communicative, giving a defensive tone as the best player on the team.

This is therefore summed up for this: a generational center bearing an imperfect team and charged with drama to 50 victories against the best double -meaning player of a team of 68 victories. Two iron cases, but my vote went to Gilgeous-Alexander.

All-NBA teams

First team
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Thunder
Nikola Jokic, Nuggets
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Jayson Tatum, Celtics
LeBron James, Lakers

Second team
Evan Mobley, riders
Donovan Mitchell, riders
Cade Cunningham, pistons
Jalen Brunson, Knicks
Anthony Edwards, Wolves

Third team
Steph Curry, warriors
Cities of Karl-Anthony, Knicks
Jalen Williams, Thunder
Ivica Zubac, Clippers
James Harden, Clippers

Defensive player of the year

1. Amen Thompson, Rockets

2. Evan Mobley, riders

3. Read there, thunder

Thompson faced the best scorers in the League, exploded their games and helped up Houston in a defense among the first five.

Thompson has an average of 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 blocks per match, and zoomed closer: when Amen was the nearest defender, the opponents fired 9.7% worse in the six feet, 9.5% worse at less than 10 feet and 5.5% of worse beyond 15 feet, per NBA follow-up.

These are some of the highest brands in the League to all positions due to its incredible intangible active ingredients and versatility. He has some of the fastest hands in the NBA, and was often a quick cap with a single man by dropping the ball from an opponent who rumbles on the ground. He would skip passes like a free security balloon or fly away from nowhere for the blocks.

And he was one of the most disruptive players in the NBA on the ball. He almost always kept the best player of the opposing team, ranking the 94th centile in the defensive match difficulty, according to the Bball index. And he posted versatility by doing so. He would check guards like Ja Morant, Donovan Mitchell and even Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. And larger wings like Anthony Edwards, Luka Dončić and LeBron James. And he even held his own switches against big as Evan Mobley and Naz Reid.

Mobley and Dort are fully -fledged elite defenders, but Amen often looked like the most impactful defender on the ground. Especially head-to-head. Watch this Rockets-Thunder game again when it contained Gilgeous-Alexander. Or Houston against Golden State when he closed Curry. A second year player or not, Amen was the best defender in basketball.

Teams all defensive

First team
Amen Thompson, Rockets
Evan Mobley, riders
Read there, thunder
Jalen Williams, Thunder
Dyson Daniels, Hawks

Second team
Draymond Green, warriors
Toumani Camara, Blazers
Years Jackson Jr., Grizzlies
Ivica Zubac, Clippers
And Anunoby, Knicks

Draymond could end up winning the defensive player of the year, but he only did the second All-D team on my ballot. For what? From February 8, during 31 games, Draymond certainly played a DPoy level. The opponents pulled 9% less than expected within six feet and 9.6% of worse in 10 feet when Draymond was the nearest defender. He exploded pick-And-Rolls, bares covers and anchored the defense of Golden State as he has done for over a decade.

The acquisition of Jimmy Butler lit a fire under him which showed that he could always play at an elite level. But he was also roasted in an essential match against the Spurs, and he could not get the stops he needed during the final of the season against the Clippers. These downers looked more like his first 37 games of the season when he was incoherent. Before Butler's arrival, the opponents drew 5.6% from worse than expected on the shots for which he was the nearest defender, which is a good number not. The defense of Golden State was also only 1.4 points for 100 possessions better than the league average at that time.

Green deserves the honors of the entirely defensive team. But the defensive player of the year should not be a life of success for life.

Recruit of the year

1. Stephon castle, spurs
2. Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
3. Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies

Risacher reduced the hard ditch to fill the season: he finished with 12.7 points per game, 35.5% out of 3, filled gaps as a intelligent and played a strong defense for a recruit attacker. And after January 30, he struck 42.4% of Deep, which was a burning section that turned the story on his sweater after a difficult departure. As a choice n ° 1, he can lack traditional increase, but played a polished style and still managed to have big nights of score.

But Castle did enough to win it. Castle was not such an effective marker (52.1% true shooting, and only 28.3% out of 3), but the gap was not dramatic (Risacher displayed 55.7% of true filming). Castle compensated for this by relentlessly attacking the edge, ending well and drawing a ton of faults. Castle has tripled the two faults from Risacher and the rate of marks not assisted on the edge.

While Risacher was floating out of ball, Castle made his way in the teeth of the defense. Castle ran nearly 600 Pick-And-Rolls and recorded 150 isolation possessions, by synergy. Risacher: Only 83 Pick-And-Rolls and 13 insulation all season. Castle played 34 games with at least five assists. Risacher had none.

Then there is the defense. Both were excellent, especially according to recruit standards. But correspondence data tells the real story.

Against dollars? Risacher kept Kyle Kuzma. Castle took Damian Lillard.

Against warriors? Risacher had Moses Moody. Castle obtained Steph Curry.

Against Memphis? Risacher was on Vince Williams. Castle was on JA MORANT.

You can go game by play and see the model, and the data support it: the BBALL index has ranked Risacher in the 49th centile in match difficulty. Castle was 97th. Risacher was great in his role, but Castle prospered much more on his plate.

Here is the rest of my ballot:

Teams all rookies

First team
Stephon castle, spurs
Zaccharie Risacher, Hawks
Jaylen Wells, Grizzlies
Zach Edey, Grizzlies
Kel'el Ware, heat

Second team
Alex Sarr, Wizards
Donovan Clingan, Blazers
Yves were sent, Pélicans
MATAS BUZELIS, Bulls
Kyle Filipowski, Jazz

Sixth man of the year

1. Payton Pritchard, Celtics

2. Malik Beasley, pistons

3. Ty Jerome, riders

Year -round

1. Kenny Atkinson, riders

2. Ty Lue, Clippers

3. Make sure, Rockets

Most improved player of the year

1. Cade Cunningham, pistons

2. Dyson Daniels, Hawks

3. Christian Braun, Nuggets

Year clutch player

1. Jalen Brunson, Knicks

2. Nikola Jokić, Nuggets

3. Darius Garland, riders

I talked more about all these selections on The episode of last Friday of the program Kevin O'ConnorThat you can find wherever you get your podcasts.

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