James Harden reportedly shared some interesting insights on the NBA’s MVP race, just days before taking on MVP contender Nikola Jokic in a first-round series.
Harden’s Los Angeles Clippers flew to Colorado earlier this week ahead of Game 1 against the Denver Nuggets. NBA reporter Rachel Nichols was able to catch up with Harden just before the team’s East-bound flight.
On a recent episode of the “Open Floor” podcast, Nichols shared one tidbit from her conversation with Harden. Nichols said that she had asked Harden about who he believed was the “best player” in the NBA. While Harden still picked Jokic, he added an interesting caveat to his answer.
“No question, Jokic is the best player,” Harden said, per Nichols. “But all the players, we want to see [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] win MVP because of the season he had and the winning. But of course, Jokic is the best player.”
James Harden told Rachel Nichols that the NBA players want Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to win MVP 👀
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 18, 2025
“All the players, we want to see Shai win MVP because of the season he had and the winning… But of course Jokic is the best player.”
(via @SInow)pic.twitter.com/wHFfjU7lFL
Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander are the two clear frontrunners to be named MVP of the 2024-25 season.
Hearing Harden reportedly claim that “all the players” are rooting for Shai is a bold move ahead of his team’s 4-5 series against the Joker. The mild-mannered Jokic is surely no Michael Jordan when it comes to holding grudges, but Harden’s take may have given the Nuggets a little more bulletin board material ahead of Game 1.
On the other hand, Harden may simply want Gilgeous-Alexander to reap the same rewards that the former once did. Harden won the MVP award in the 2017-18 season after a similar season to the one Gilgeous-Alexander is having.
The Beard led the 65-win Houston Rockets to the best record in the NBA as the league’s leading scorer. SGA did the same for his 68-win Oklahoma City Thunder squad, with much better efficiency and defensive metrics compared to Harden’s MVP campaign.
