Surprise ROY? Repeat MVPs? Expert picks for NBA early-season awards

If the top NBA awards were handed out one month into the 2024-25 NBA season, which players and coaches could stake their claim to the coveted titles?

A few MVP-caliber superstars such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic have found their teams struggling early in the season. Will they be able to lift their teams out of these ruts, or will early hiccups prevent these former MVPs from claiming the coveted crown again?

After what was considered a down year for the 2024 NBA draft class, a few surprising rookies have made an immediate impact, putting the league on notice. Atlanta Hawks No. 1 pick Zaccharie Risacher is still adjusting to the pace of the league, but the Los Angeles Lakers’ Dalton Knecht just tied the rookie 3-point record coming off the bench.

After winning Rookie of the Year last season, will Victor Wembanyama finally make the leap in Year 2 and take the Defensive Player of the Year title from four-time winner Rudy Gobert? Or will another defensive stalwart, such as Draymond Green or OG Anunoby, claim the award?

We asked our NBA insiders to rank their top three choices for the six major awards up to this point in the season. A first-place vote received five points, a second-place vote received three and a third-place vote received one.

Jump To:
MVP | ROY | DPOY
Sixth Man | MIP | COY

Who will win NBA MVP?

The conventional wisdom was that Nikola Jokic would have to clear an extraordinarily high bar to win his fourth MVP in five seasons. A month into the season, it simply isn’t possible to present a rational argument that any other player in the league can claim the award over Jokic. The gap between Joker and the field was illustrated quite well during the Nuggets’ road blowout over the Lakers on Sunday night. Jokic had a pretty typical performance by his standards (34 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals and a block) while dominating Anthony Davis, the runner-up in this award category. — Tim MacMahon

1. Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets: 50 points (67% of first-place votes)

2. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers: 22 points (25% of first place votes)

3. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics: 12 points

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder: 11 points (8% of first-place votes)

T5. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks: 6 points

T5. Stephen Curry, Golden State Warriors: 6 points

Who will win NBA Rookie of the Year?

Zach Edey, the two-time national player of the year at Purdue, walked into a big role in Memphis and was the favorite for this award entering the season. But a month into the season, it’s a pair of players taken with back-to-back picks in the 2024 NBA draft, Jared McCain at No. 16 and Dalton Knecht at No. 17, who find themselves out in front of the rookie pack. So far, it’s been a complete disaster for Philadelphia, but McCain has been the sole bright spot for the 76ers. He leads all rookies in points per game (16.6) and is shooting 40% from 3 on over six attempts per game even after a rough showing Sunday against the Clippers (3-for-15 FG in 28 minutes). — Tim Bontemps

1. Jared McCain, Philadelphia 76ers: 56 points (83% of first-place votes)

2. Dalton Knecht, Los Angeles Lakers: 32 points (17% of first-place votes)

3. Zach Edey, Memphis Grizzlies: 12 points

T4. Stephon Castle, San Antonio Spurs: 2 points

T4. Jaylen Wells, Memphis Grizzlies: 2 points

T4. Zaccharie Risacher, Atlanta Hawks: 2 points

T7. Alex Sarr, Washington Wizards: 1 point

T7. Reed Sheppard, Houston Rockets: 1 point

Who will win Defensive Player of the Year?

Since the start of last season, no player has logged more career games (71) with multiple blocks than Victor Wembanyama, who has swatted at least three shots in 11 of 14 appearances this season for a young Spurs team that is learning how to outlast opponents in close games. Wembanyama has posted more blocks (51) than Anthony Davis and Draymond Green combined (46) to go with 18 steals, despite sitting out three games due to injury. — Michael Wright

1. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs: 43 points (67% of first-place votes)

T2. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers: 16 points (8% of first-place votes)

T2. Draymond Green, Golden State Warriors: 16 points

4. Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks: 12 points (8% of first-place votes)

T5. OG Anunoby, New York Knicks: 5 points (8% of first-place votes)

T5. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic: 5 points (8% of first-place votes)

T7. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 points

T7. Jalen Suggs, Orlando Magic: 3 points

T9. Jaren Jackson Jr., Memphis Grizzlies: 2 points

T9. Lu Dort, Oklahoma City Thunder: 2 points

11. Chet Holmgren, Oklahoma City Thunder: 1 point

Who will win Sixth Man of the Year?

He gets a lot less attention than the members of Boston’s star-studded starting five, but Payton Pritchard has become one of the Celtics’ most consistent players on a night-to-night basis. In 27 minutes per game off the bench, he’s getting up an absurd 8 3s a game and hitting 41% of them, and he repeatedly has given Boston a significant lift in games where the Celtics have started out flat. Buddy Hield has had a similar impact for the Golden State Warriors filling the Klay Thompson role as a knockdown shooter next to Stephen Curry (42.2% on 7.7 attempts per game), while Naz Reid, last season’s winner in this category, is again having a productive season (13.8 points on 49.1% shooting overall and 39.8% from 3) off the bench for Minnesota. — Bontemps

1. Payton Pritchard, Boston Celtics: 39 points (55% of first-place votes)

2. Buddy Hield, Golden State Warriors: 31 points (27% of first-place votes)

3. Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves: 12 points

T4. Bogdan Bogdanovic, Atlanta Hawks: 5 points (9% of first-place votes)

T4. Tari Eason, Houston Rockets: 5 points (9% of first-place votes)

6. Miles McBride, New York Knicks: 4 points

7. Tre Mann, Charlotte Hornets: 3 points

T8. T.J. McConnell, Indiana Pacers: 1 point

T8. Russell Westbrook, Denver Nuggets: 1 point

Who will win Most Improved Player?

The one-month check-in for this award is perhaps the category that looks the most different from the preseason picks. Dyson Daniels has been a perfect complementary guard alongside Trae Young — and one of the league’s best stoppers. One indication: The 21-year-old managed a league-best 102 deflections, 40 more than OG Anunoby, who ranks second. Jalen Williams, one of the preseason favorites for Most Improved, is logging career highs in points, boards, assists, blocks and steals — even as the 6-foot-6 wing plays a third of his minutes at center for the short-handed Thunder. Meanwhile, Cam Thomas is in the midst of his most efficient season yet, averaging just over 24 points as he expands his playmaking ability for the rebuilding Nets. — Chris Herring

1. Dyson Daniels, Atlanta Hawks: 25 points (33% of first-place votes)

2. Jalen Williams, Oklahoma City Thunder: 17 points (17% of first-place votes)

3. Cam Thomas, Brooklyn Nets: 11 points (17% of first-place votes)

T4. Evan Mobley, Cleveland Cavaliers: 10 points (17% of first-place votes)

T4. Jalen Johnson, Atlanta Hawks: 10 points

6. LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets: 8 points (8% of first-place votes)

T7. Ty Jerome, Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 points (8% of first-place votes)

T7. Cade Cunningham, Detroit Pistons: 5 points

9. Alperen Sengun, Houston Rockets: 4 points

T10. Norman Powell, LA Clippers: 3 points

T10. Bennedict Mathurin, Indiana Pacers: 3 points

T12. Franz Wagner, Orlando Magic: 1 point

T12. Ochai Agbaji, Toronto Raptors: 1 point

Who will win Coach of the Year?

Four years after a four-year stint with the Nets that ended unceremoniously when he was fired for not being the right fit to lead a team with Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant (as if anyone truly was), Kenny Atkinson has seemingly found the perfect second act for himself in Cleveland. The Cavs’ 15-game winning streak to start the season made them the toast of the league, and Atkinson has his squad boasting the No. 1-rated offense and No. 10-rated defense. Joe Mazzulla, fresh off a championship in his first season with the interim tag removed from his title, is the only coach to have figured out Atkinson’s Cavs so far, handing Cleveland its lone loss. And Steve Kerr has the Warriors in contention for a fifth ring under his watch, despite failing to get out of the play-in tournament last spring and losing franchise legend Klay Thompson in the offseason. — Dave McMenamin

1. Kenny Atkinson, Cleveland Cavaliers: 60 points (100% of first-place votes)

2. Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics: 16 points

3. Steve Kerr, Golden State Warriors: 8 points

T4. Ime Udoka, Houston Rockets: 7 points

T4. JJ Redick, Los Angeles Lakers: 7 points

6. Jamahl Mosley, Orlando Magic: 4 points

7. Mark Daigneault, Oklahoma City Thunder: 3 points

8. J.B. Bickerstaff, Detroit Pistons: 2 points

9. Michael Malone, Denver Nuggets: 1 point