The basketball at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has been outstanding so far. The games have been played at a very high level and all 12 teams are extremely talented. It has been a joy to watch so many great NBA players representing different countries and changing their roles to be successful in a different context.
The presentation and production of the games have been very strong as well as NBC has done well with the broadcast and Noah Eagle and Dwyane Wade have brought great commentary. The Denver Nuggets have two players at the games, Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. They’re results have been pretty different, but it’s nice to see the NBA stars battling for Canada and Serbia respectively.
Dwyane Wade claims Shai Gilgeous-Alexander should have won MVP
But even in this great international setting, it has been impossible to escape NBA media narratives and even some MVP discourse. During Canada’s opening game win over Greece, Wade, commentating for NBC, stated that he believed the MVP award should have gone to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder (and Team Canada) last season, and NOT Nikola Jokic.
Wade is not the first Jokic detractor, and almost certainly won’t be the last. It’s a reasonable opinion and SGA obviously had an incredible season. But it’s frustrating nonetheless to be months removed from the presentation of the award and still be hearing this kind of rhetoric.
There's no need for MVP discourse at the Olympics
The Olympics are all about inclusion and peace, but I can’t think of many things more divisive than NBA MVP debates. I don’t think Wade was trying to be malicious or attempting to ruffle any feathers. He was genuinely trying to be complimentary of SGA, but still, in the modern age of the NBA, any comment is an excuse to tear down somebody else.
And that’s the case, even months removed, and miles away from Denver. Fans heard the comment and immediately perceived it as a slight toward Jokic. At this point, it’s simply par for the course. Jokic has faced much more hateful and harmful criticisms than this in the recent past.
But it’s notable coming from one of the 75 greatest players of all time, a recent contemporary of Jokic, and a former player who is still highly involved in the league - both as a part owner and broadcaster.