Jokic’s NBA MVP a win for hoops-crazed nations outside US
By KEN MAGUIRE
AP Sports Writer
LONDON (AP) — Maybe it’s the ćevapi, or the souvlaki, or the mbanga soup. Whatever it is, there’s no denying the tinge of international flavor when it comes to the NBA elite with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic winning the league’s MVP award for a second straight season Wednesday. Jokic made it four straight MVPs for foreign-born players. The Serbian big man beat out two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo of Greece and the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia center Joel Embiid of Cameroon to mark another first — never before have the top three in MVP voting all been internationals. Antetokounmpo won the award in 2019 and 2020.