While Milwaukee Bucks fans are happy with the way Game 1 went against the Indiana Pacers, the same can’t be said about the end-of-year awards.
NBA Communications announced the finalists for the NBA Awards, and it seems they left out one important name in the MVP category…
Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo not named finalist in MVP award.

It came as a shock to many when the finalists list came out and under MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s name was not listed. Instead, it’s Luka Doncic with the Dallas Mavericks, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander with the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Nikola Jovic with the Denver Nuggets.
All season, Giannis was constantly in discussions of who would win MVP. The Milwaukee Bucks star has previously won two MVP awards in his career, but I guess the guy who’s playing arguably the best basketball of his entire career thus far doesn’t even get mentioned in the finalists.
Not discrediting the three guys named by any means, they’re fantastic players, some of the best in the game, but not even mentioning Giannis as a finalist was a jab to the heart.
Giannis wrapped up his regular season by becoming the first player in NBA HISTORY to score 30+ points per game while shooting 60% or better.
Milwaukee Bucks fans react to Giannis not being named a finalist.

To put it nicely, fans were NOT happy with the finalists list not including Giannis.
One even mentioning his record against the three finalists.
Giannis was 6-2 against them in the regular season btw.
— cautiously optimistic bucks fan (@ThatDude_Kevo) April 21, 2024
A straight up robbery.
giannis robbed
— jit trippin (@frost_bxsh) April 21, 2024
Giannis erasure. Was 6-2 against this dudes in the regular season. 30 ppg on 60% for the first time ever, while adjusting to 3 different head coaches.
Not even saying he should absolutely win, but to not be a finalist is blasphemous https://t.co/3uu4ZPH6cL
— cautiously optimistic bucks fan (@ThatDude_Kevo) April 21, 2024
I don’t get it , how Giannis is not a finalist in MVP and Dame is not a finalist in clutch time?
— Tonio (@StToniox) April 22, 2024
It’s just pure confusion all around.
Giannis shot 61.6% from the field, averaged 30.7 points per game with 11 rebounds, which is the first player has averaged those numbers in a season. Not to mention, he led a team that had a mid-season coaching change to a playoff birth, but somehow, he’s not an MVP finalist..? https://t.co/iLfXWLOOeS
— Thomas Schumacher (@SchumacherTommy) April 21, 2024
Giannis not being an MVP finalist is criminal
— Dame (@Vybrent) April 21, 2024
Giannis not an mvp finalist is egregious
— Frank Mason III (@quinn_giddings) April 21, 2024
Giannis not even being a finalist for MVP after a historic season should be looked back on with disgust
— 404 (@steveybreezy) April 21, 2024
Giannis wasn’t even considered for MVP. This is crazy😂😂😂
— Jake (@JJ_Wrld0) April 21, 2024
It would be interesting to know what goes into being named a finalist for an award like MVP. Given the season that Giannis had prior to his injury that sat him out the last three regular season games, he was playing and making history this season, but doesn’t get the proper credit he deserves?
Hopefully a NBA Finals MVP is in his future…
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