Something is simmering in Adam Silver’s mind, and it’s not just the playoff seeding chaos. The 2025 MVP race is shaping up to be one for the history books. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lighting up arenas and Nikola Jokić making the triple-double look casual, the league’s top individual honor is anything but settled.

Now,  Shai’s making his case loud and clear, dragging OKC to the league’s best record with swagger and surgical precision. Meanwhile, Jokić is still doing Nikola things, silently stuffing the stat sheet and bending the game to his will. But here’s the kicker: could the MVP trophy finally leave Denver for good, or will the Joker snatch it back and cement himself among the all-time greats? Silver’s watching closely, with a dilemma in his mind.

Recently, Dwight Howard on his Above The Rim With DH12 Podcast, weighed in on the MVP race, stating why the trophy should be given to Jokic, he said, “You know why they going to give it to him?… I’m going to give you a couple reasons. This is best year ever, He’s a European player right…. they just drafted somebody from overseas two years in a row, Doncic and and Wemby…. they just sent Luca to the big LA franchise big market.”

This isn’t just about stats or who had the flashiest season—it feels like something bigger is going on. Jokić is having an incredible year, no doubt, but he’s also European, and that fits perfectly with how the NBA’s been moving lately. Think about it—Luka and Wemby headlined two straight drafts as international stars, and now a major market like L.A. has brought in Luka? That’s no coincidence.

Dwight Howard also said, “How can we (the NBA and Silver make this game more global? Hell, they got six of the last seven between him and Joel. Give Jokic the MVP,  now you got a center that’s four time MVP. That’s never happened.”  As Dwight Howard put it, six of the last seven MVPs have gone to international players, including Joel Embiid and Jokić himself. So if Jokić wins again, it’s not just another trophy—it makes him the first center ever to win four MVPs. That’s a powerful headline for global fans. It starts to look less like a pure basketball decision and more like a move to expand the game’s footprint overseas.

So, now with the motives at play and the  MVP race looking like it is going right down to the wire, SGA and Jokic are also making waves in another aspect of the game. Ranking amongst some of the greatest of all time

Win-Share wonders: Shai, Jokić, and the MVP duel shaping history

When you sift through the annals of basketball history, Win Shares Per 48 Minutes is the stat that whispers the truth: who, minute-for-minute, mattered most. And in 2024-25, two names are carving their legacies into that rarefied air—Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić.

Let’s start with Shai. Calm, calculated, and cold-blooded, he’s quietly authored a masterpiece. His WS/48 this season? .3185. That ranks 7th best of all time. Think about that. In the 78-year history of the NBA and ABA, only six players have ever had a more efficient season. And this isn’t a one-hit wonder; his 2023-24 campaign ranks 46th, proof that last year’s magic was merely a preview.

Then there’s Jokić—basketball’s most unconventional genius. Watching him is like watching a chess grandmaster play in a pickup game. His 2024-25 mark of .3180 puts him 9th all-time, just a hair behind Shai. But here’s the kicker: this is his fifth season in the top 20. Fifth. He hasn’t just flirted with greatness—he’s committed to it.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, ever dominant, shows up four times too, his best being .2922 in 2018-19. But this year, the stage belongs to Shai and Jokić—two completely different artists painting brilliance with every possession.

This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about legacy. Years from now, we’ll talk about this season as the moment Shai arrived among the immortals. And how Jokić reminded us he never left.