Nikola Jokic is the first MVP to play every regular season game since Kobe Bryant

Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic was awarded the Maurice Podoloff Trophy as the 2020-21 NBA Most Valuable Player on Tuesday. The 26-year-old was some way clear of his competition and defeated the likes of Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo to the title. The Nikola Jokic MVP meant that the Nuggets star had late Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, who also played his part in the Serbian's quest for glory. 

Kobe Bryant MVP: Nikola Jokic first MVP to play in all regular-season games since late NBA legend 

Nikola Jokic was named the NBA MVP for the 2020/21 season after a spectacular season for the Nuggets. Jokic broke a host of records as he claimed the famed honour, two years after Kobe Bryant had challenged him to win the trophy. The Serbian became the first MVP to feature in all regular-season games since the Lakers legend, living up to the challenge. During the Kobe Bryant MVP season of 2007/08, the NBA legend had clocked  28.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.8 steals per game to lead the Los Angeles Lakers to 57 wins.

As for Nikola Jokic stats, the Nuggets star has posted numbers of 26.4 points, 10.8 rebounds, 8.3 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. He also shot 57% from the field, 38% from 3-point distance, and 87% from the free-throw line. Behind Jokić, Denver posted a 47-25 record and earned the third seed in the Western Conference for the 2021 NBA Playoffs. The Nuggets finished with the fifth-highest single-season winning percentage in franchise history (.653).

Nikola Jokic also is the first player from Serbia to be selected as the NBA MVP and joins Dirk Nowitzki (Germany) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece) as MVP winners from Europe. The 26-year-old is the lowest-drafted player to be named NBA MVP with the exception of three-time MVP Moses Malone, who was not selected in the NBA Draft. 

The previous lowest-drafted players to win the award were two-time MVPs Antetokounmpo and Steve Nash, both selected with the 15th overall pick in their respective drafts. Jokic received a windfall of 971 points, way ahead of second-placed Joel Embiid and third-placed Stephen Curry who posted 586 and 453 points respectively. The three-time All-Star led the league with 60 double-doubles and ranked second behind only Russell Westbrook (38) with 16 triple-doubles.

Who has won NBA MVP most number of times? 

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar leads all players in NBA history with the most MVP regular-season wins, bagging six awards, three each with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers. Michael Jordan and Bill Russell both came close to pipping the NBA legend, winning five NBA MVP crowns during their respective dynasties with the Chicago Bulls and the Boston Celtics. LeBron James and Wilt Chamberlain have lifted the honour four times, while the likes of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Moses Malone have won it thrice. Bob Pettit, Karl Malone, Tim Duncan, Steve Nash, Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo are others who have won the award multiple times. 

(Image Courtesy: NBA History Twitter)