A familiar name sits atop the 2023-24 NBA MVP odds list.
Nikola Jokic, fresh off his first NBA title, is the overwhelming favorite to earn his third MVP award in four seasons, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
The Denver Nuggets center is currently +430, making him the only player with chances greater than 5/1 to win the newly titled Michael Jordan Trophy.
Jokic is followed by Mavericks’ Luka Doncic (+550) and Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (+600), a two-time NBA MVP himself.
The two are the only other players with odds greater than 2/15.
Jayson Tatum of the Celtics (+750) and Joel Embiid of the 76ers (+850), the reigning award winner, complete the top five.
Steph Curry is the next favorite at +1400, followed by Kevin Durant (+1600) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (+1800).
After falling short last season, Jokic hopes to become only the fourth player in NBA history to win the MVP award three times, joining Moses Malone, Larry Bird, and Magic Johnson.
(Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the league record for MVPs with six, followed by Michael Jordan and Bill Russell with five, and Wilt Chamberlain and LeBron James with four.
Jokic will have to overcome some considerable voter weariness if he is to pull off the feat.
However, after a strong postseason run that led to the 2023 NBA championship, Jokic demonstrated that he was the best basketball player on the planet.
If the Nuggets can reclaim the top spot in what appears to be an even harder Western Conference, The Joker should be right back in the MVP conversation.