Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic leads Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in ESPN's first 2024-25 NBA MVP straw poll.

Understanding that MVP is often a narrative-driven award, sportsbooks made James an odds-on favorite to win it ahead of the 2014-15 campaign, his first back with the Cleveland Cavaliers after losing in the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat. It's the only time in the last 15 seasons that has occurred, according to ESPN Research.

The rest of the NBA is chasing Denver Nuggets superstar Nikola Jokic as the first MVP Straw Poll of the year was conducted

ESPN released their annual straw poll, in which they questioned 100 MVP voters to get their take on who has a foot in the MVP race after the first quarter of a season, which is in the books. Nikola Jokic is currently leading the league with 57 first-place votes,

But once again, Denver Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic leads the way. … In the straw poll, Jokic took home 57 of the 100 first-place votes and 829 total points. That placed him, for the third

Early returns show that Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokić is once again the front-runner to claim NBA MVP honors. Tim Bontemps revealed Friday that a

Nikola Jokic is on pace to make history, becoming only the third player in NBA history to win four regular season MVP awards in five years. Only LeBron James and Bill Russell have won four MVPs in five years.