ESPN broadcaster and former Warriors coach Mark Jackson did not include two-time MVP Nikola Jokic from his MVP ballot, prompting various reactions from fans and peers alike.
Many were not pleased by this decision, as the MVP voting for the 2022-23 NBA season has been chiefly a two-horse race between Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Nikola Jokic of the Denver Nuggets.
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Nikola Jokic left out of Mark Jackson's MVP ballot
Former NBA player and fellow ESPN analyst Jay Williams could not believe Jackson's ballot, stating his disbelief in a tweet.
No Yokic??? Naw. This can’t be real. https://t.co/sU636iyqir
— Jay Williams (@RealJayWilliams) May 11, 2023
Jackson's ballot included Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jayson Tatum, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, and Donovan Mitchell. He is the only voter out of a global panel of 100 sportswriters and broadcasters who did not include the Serbian center in his voting list.
Before Jackson's ballot became public knowledge, TNT analyst Charles Barkley even went as far as calling the voter who did not include Jokic in his list "a damn idiot."
Jackson eventually apologized for the mishap, saying he voted for one MVP in each position instead of a top 5 list.
Mark Jackson was the ONLY voter out of 100 people to not Nikola Jokic as an MVP.
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) May 11, 2023
Mark Jackson’s MVP voting order:
1. Joel Embiid
2. Giannis Antetokounmpo
3. Jayson Tatum
4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
5. Donovan Mitchell pic.twitter.com/H99mwUXror
"You can tell I put 1 center, 2 forwards, and 2 guards, so I wasn't even thinking," Jackson said on SiriusXM NBA Radio.
He reiterated his apology in a tweet directed to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Made an honest mistake with my MVP votes. My apologies to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. He’s not only a legitimate MVP candidate who deserved my vote, but he is truly one of the all time greats!
— Mark Jackson (@MarkJackson13) May 11, 2023
Again my apologies
"Made an honest mistake with my MVP votes. My apologies to the Denver Nuggets and Nikola Jokic. He's not only a legitimate MVP candidate who deserved my vote, but he is truly one of the all time greats! Again my apologies," Jackson tweeted.
Despite his apology, some fans have called for Jackson's voting rights to be rescinded.
Mark Jackson didn’t even include Nikola Jokic in his top 5 mvp votes…
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) May 11, 2023
Take his vote away 🤦♂️ pic.twitter.com/Q8cDVBOPhD
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